Key points on the climate emergency


Climate change has become a serious threat to mankind, and all citizens should be very concerned.
The key points are:
  • Human activity has changed the climate.
  • The climate damage done is already very serious and is causing gross injustices - the people who are the most affected are the ones who are the least responsible.
  • Continued fossil fuel use will result in further cumulative damage and worsen the injustices.
  • Time is running out: for rich countries such as the UK, the fair-share CO2 budget for 1.5°C runs out in 2 years.
  • The current situation could have been avoided - it has come about because of poor decision making across society.
  • Those who are most affected are pleading for action by the rich countries.
  • Whether from acting responsibly or from self-interest, there is a clear need to urgently and radically reduce use of fossil fuels.
  • This means major changes in lifestyles.
  • Well-meaning people should work together to
    • improve the decision making
    • take the necessary actions that will lead to urgent radical reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases, especially in the countries with high emissions per capita
    • accept that this means radical changes in the lifestyles of the rich, for a period
    • rebuild using sustainable energy sources.
  • Climate change should now be treated as an emergency, i.e. as an overriding priority.

Human activity has changed the climate


The climate damage done is already very serious and causing gross injustices


Continued fossil fuel use will result in further cumulative damage

Most CO2 released into the atmosphere stays there and persists for centuries. So the level of CO2 steadily builds up, which increases the numbers of deaths and climate refugees, and worsens the environmental damage.

Time is running out


The current situation could have been avoided - but decision making has been poor across society


Those who are most affected are pleading for action

Promises have been made to children, future generations, and the most vulnerable that efforts would be made to keep global warming to 1.5°C. They are asking that these promises are kept:

What needs to be done?

Well-meaning people need to

Climate change should now be treated as an emergency

The scientific consensus is that climate change should be treated as an emergency. Being treated as an emergency means that action on climate change takes precedence over other competing priorities.

(The term scientific consensus is being used here to mean the conclusions of people who have engaged in rational collaborative discussions.)

What makes climate change an emergency?

Climate action should be seen as an overriding priority - see document 91.


First published: Feb 2019
Last updated: 11 Jan 2024