Is climate change real?

Yes

Yes, climate change is real. There is an overwhelming scientific consensus—supported by decades of data and peer-reviewed research—that the Earth’s climate is warming and that human activities are the primary driver.

Multiple independent studies show that between 97% and over 99% of actively publishing climate scientists agree that global warming is happening and is caused by human activity. This consensus is officially endorsed by virtually every major scientific organization in the world, including NASA, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society.

The Evidence of Climate Change

Scientific instruments on land, in the oceans, and in space have recorded clear physical evidence of a rapidly changing planet:

•Rising Global Temperatures: The planet’s average surface temperature has risen by about 2 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 degrees Celsius) since the late 19th century. Recent years have consistently broken records, with the last decade being the hottest on record since modern record-keeping began in 1880.

•Shrinking Ice Sheets and Glaciers: Ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are losing hundreds of billions of tons of mass per year. Mountain glaciers worldwide—from the Alps to the Andes—are in rapid retreat.

•Rising Sea Levels: Global sea levels rose about 8 inches (20 cm) in the last century, and the rate of rise has nearly doubled in recent decades. This is caused by water from melting glaciers and ice sheets, as well as the thermal expansion of seawater as it warms.

•Ocean Warming and Acidification: The oceans have absorbed over 90% of the excess heat trapped in the atmosphere. Additionally, because the oceans absorb about 30% of human-emitted carbon dioxide, they have become roughly 30% more acidic, threatening marine ecosystems like coral reefs.

•Increase in Extreme Weather: The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events—including severe heatwaves, intense droughts, heavy downpours, and stronger hurricanes—have measurably increased globally.

What Is Causing It?

While the Earth’s climate has gone through natural cycles of warming and cooling over millions of years (primarily due to minor shifts in Earth's orbit), the current warming trend is happening at a rate unprecedented in the last 10,000 years.

The primary cause is the enhanced greenhouse effect. The atmosphere naturally contains greenhouse gases—such as water vapor, carbon dioxide ($CO_2$), methane, and nitrous oxide—which trap heat from the Sun to keep the Earth warm enough to support life.

However, since the Industrial Revolution in the mid-1800s, human activities have rapidly increased the concentrations of these gases:

•Burning Fossil Fuels: Burning coal, oil, and natural gas for electricity, heating, and transportation releases massive amounts of $CO_2$.

•Deforestation: Forests act as "carbon sinks" by absorbing $CO_2$. Cutting down forests for agriculture or development releases stored carbon and reduces the planet's capacity to absorb emissions.

•Agriculture and Industry: Industrial farming practices and livestock production release large amounts of methane (a highly potent greenhouse gas) and nitrous oxide.

As a result, atmospheric $CO_2$ levels are higher today than they have been at any point in human history, acting like an thickening blanket that traps excess heat within our atmosphere.

Citations (7)

1edf.orgNonprofits and think tanks
edf.org
Backs: “Yes, climate change is real. There is an overwhelming scientific consensus—supported by decades of data and peer-reviewed research—that the Earth’s climate is warming and that human activities are the primary driver. Multiple independent studies show that between 97% and over 99% of actively publishing climate…”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Overwhelming scientific consensus, backed by decades of data and peer-reviewed research, that climate is warming and humans are the primary driver.
2nasa.govGovernment
nasa.gov
Backs: “Yes, climate change is real. There is an overwhelming scientific consensus—supported by decades of data and peer-reviewed research—that the Earth’s climate is warming and that human activities are the primary driver. Multiple independent studies show that between 97% and over 99% of actively publishing climate…”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Overwhelming scientific consensus, backed by decades of data and peer-reviewed research, that climate is warming and humans are the primary driver.
3wikipedia.orgEncyclopedias and referencequality 0.83
wikipedia.org
Backs: “Yes, climate change is real. There is an overwhelming scientific consensus—supported by decades of data and peer-reviewed research—that the Earth’s climate is warming and that human activities are the primary driver. Multiple independent studies show that between 97% and over 99% of actively publishing climate…”
background, reference entry, points to yes. Claim: Overwhelming scientific consensus, backed by decades of data and peer-reviewed research, that climate is warming and humans are the primary driver.
4nasa.govGovernment
nasa.gov
Backs: “Multiple independent studies show that between 97% and over 99% of actively publishing climate scientists agree that global warming is happening and is caused by human activity. This consensus is officially endorsed by virtually every major scientific organization in the world, including NASA, the Intergovernmental…”
statistic, article, points to yes. Claim: Between 97% and over 99% of actively publishing climate scientists agree global warming is happening and human-caused.
5nasa.govGovernment
nasa.gov
Backs: “This consensus is officially endorsed by virtually every major scientific organization in the world, including NASA, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society.”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: Consensus endorsed by virtually every major scientific organization, including NASA, IPCC, National Academy of Sciences, and Royal Society.
6royalsociety.orgAcademic
royalsociety.org
Backs: “This consensus is officially endorsed by virtually every major scientific organization in the world, including NASA, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, and the Royal Society.”
attribution, article, points to yes. Claim: Consensus endorsed by virtually every major scientific organization, including NASA, IPCC, National Academy of Sciences, and Royal Society.
7aaas.orgNonprofits and think tanks
aaas.org
Backs: “Increase in Extreme Weather: The frequency and intensity of extreme weather events—including severe heatwaves, intense droughts, heavy downpours, and stronger hurricanes—have measurably increased globally. ---. What Is Causing It?”
evidence, article, points to yes. Claim: Frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like heatwaves, droughts, downpours and hurricanes have measurably increased globally.