Is climate change real?

Is climate change real? I'll pull the latest scientific evidence to give you a clear answer.

Yes, climate change is real — this is the established position of the science.

> There is unequivocal evidence that Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate. Human activity is the principal cause.

What that means in detail:

•There is scientific consensus that climate change is real, manifested through increasing temperatures, changing rainfall patterns and increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events.

•The question of whether climate change is real is no longer a matter of scientific debate. The overwhelming consensus among climate scientists, affirmed by leading scientific organizations worldwide, is that the Earth is warming, and human activity is the dominant cause.

•The scientific evidence is clear: global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now, and it is a growing threat to society.

Evidence comes from multiple independent lines:

•Direct measurements of rising surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures

•While natural variability plays some part, the preponderance of evidence indicates that human activities—particularly emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases—are making our planet warmer.

Measured warming:

•According to an ongoing temperature analysis led by scientists at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS), the average global temperature on Earth has increased by at least 1.1° Celsius (1.9° Fahrenheit) since 1880. The majority of the warming has occurred since 1975.

Scientific agreement:

•Most commonly cited figures are ~97% among publishing climate experts, and literature-only analyses have found agreement exceeding 99%.

•A 2019 review of scientific papers found the consensus on the cause of climate change to be at 100%, and a 2021 study concluded that over 99% of scientific papers agree on the human cause of climate change.

In short, major scientific organizations including NASA, NOAA, and the IPCC agree that climate change is happening, is real, and is substantially driven by humans.

Citations (2)

1nasa.govGovernment
Climate Change - NASA Science
Backs: “Yes, climate change is real — this is the established position of the science. There is unequivocal evidence that Earth is warming at an unprecedented rate.”
2nasa.govGovernment
World of Change: Global Temperatures
Backs: “Evidence comes from multiple independent lines: Direct measurements of rising surface air temperatures and subsurface ocean temperatures. While natural variability plays some part, the preponderance of evidence indicates that human activities—particularly emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases—are making our…”