What Causes Climate Change?

Climate change is caused by a build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, water vapour, nitrous oxides and sulphur dioxides. They are mostly created by burning fossil fuels but other human activities contribute to their creation as well. They create a layer in the atmosphere that means the average global temperature is increasing at an unprecedented rate (see graph below). Once global temperature increases by 1.5-2.0 °C the climate changes will have devastating impacts on human health and well-being.

World's first year-long breach of key 1.5C warming limit - BBC News

In the UK the average surface temperature has already risen by 1.2 °C and the effects of climate change are already apparent. The UK is particularly at risk of drought, flooding and extreme weather all of which threaten the water, food, infrastructure and supply systems we depend on.