What is climate change and how does it impact me?

When we talk about climate change, we mean significant, long-lasting changes in the planet’s weather patterns and average temperatures. Human activities are a main cause of this – particularly our use of fossil fuels, releasing large volumes of greenhouse gases.

Since the Industrial Revolution of the 18th century, we have relied on burning fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas to produce energy. But this also releases gases such as carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide into the air. Over time, large quantities of these have built up in the earth’s atmosphere.

In recent decades, scientists have discovered that these greenhouse gases form a ‘blanket’ around the planet. This traps the heat from the sun and causes the Earth to heat up.

It’s a phenomenon that's already happening. Met Office research shows that summers in Wales are 1.2°C warmer now than they were between 1961 and 1990. Average temperatures are rising sharply all over the world, as can be seen in the graph below. This will continue, unless we take rapid action to address it.

What do these rising temperatures mean?

A direct effect of the warming climate is a rise in sea levels, as glaciers and ice sheets melt. Scientists believe that by the 2050s, the sea level around the coast of Wales will be 20cm higher in Bangor and 25cm higher in Cardiff than it is today. This could cause coastal flooding during storms and high tides.

Climate change also means more extreme weather, such as the floods experienced in Wales in both 2023 and 2024. As our atmosphere warms, it can hold more moisture – roughly 7% more for every 1°C of warming. This produces extreme rainfall events and flash flooding, damaging properties and crops. By 2070 these events could become four times more frequent than they were in the 1980s.

Hot spells will become more frequent, too. Even if countries around the world follow their current promises to cut greenhouse gas emissions, summers in Wales are projected to be 1.7°C hotter and 16% drier by the 2050s. Summers in Bangor will be 1.3°C hotter and 14% drier, while in Cardiff they will be 1.8°C hotter and 23% drier. We’ve already had a taste of this in 2022, when a temperature of 40°C was recorded for the first time in the UK.

Heatwaves are particularly dangerous for the health of our children and the elderly, and can lead to wildfires that are devastating for our wildlife. More frequent heatwaves will also make it much harder for farmers to grow crops for human and animal food, bringing about shortages and higher prices.

OK, but what can I do about it?

Governments around the world have pledged to ensure temperatures do not rise by more than 1.5°C. In the UK, we’re committed to not releasing any more emissions into the atmosphere than we can take out. This is known as Net Zero.

We can all make a difference on an individual level, too. There are two types of action you can take. First, you can reduce the amount of greenhouse gases you produce.

You can alter your transport choices, for instance – such as using public transport or walking rather than driving a car. You could use an electric vehicle, which will produce lower greenhouse gas emissions over its lifetime than one that runs on petrol.

 You can switch to greener sources of energy, perhaps by installing solar panels. Soon, you may be able to replace your gas boiler with a new type of heating system that runs on green electricity.

The second way you can help is to prepare for the changes that are already happening – and ones that are likely to happen in the future.

This could mean adapting your house to make it more resilient to flash flooding from heavy rain or spells of severe heat. Making sure homes are well ventilated during hotter weather is a simple way of keeping cool, and growing trees or leafy plants near windows can help with shading.

These may seem like little steps. But a small commitment from everyone in Wales adds up to a real difference in helping to tackle climate change – and in making sure we can cope with the changes that are already here.