Climate change is one of the most critical issues facing today’s society. The evidence and science are clear – climate change is a direct result of human activity and poses a significant threat to generations to come. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) scientists believe that it is very likely (greater than 90 percent chance) that most of the warming experienced since the 1950s is due to the increase in greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.

Since the industrial revolution, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, and deforestation have caused the concentrations of heat‐trapping "greenhouse gases" to increase significantly in the atmosphere. These gases create a warming effect, somewhat like a blanket surround the earth. The greenhouse effect is a natural occurrence that helps regulate the earth’s temperature. This phenomenon is necessary to life as humans know it because greenhouse gases keep the planet's surface warmer than it otherwise would be. But, as the concentrations of these gases continue to increase in the atmosphere, the Earth's temperature is climbing above past levels. According to NOAA and NASA data, the Earth's average surface temperature has increased by about 1.2 to 1.4ºF in the last 100 years. The eight warmest years on record (since 1850) have all occurred since 1998. Other aspects of the climate are also changing such as rainfall patterns, snow and ice cover, and sea level.

If greenhouse gases continue to increase at or above the current pace, climate models predict that the average temperature at the Earth's surface could increase from 3 to 7ºF above 1990 levels by the end of this century. Scientists are certain that human activities are changing the composition of the atmosphere, and that increasing the concentration of greenhouse gases will change the planet's climate, but they are not sure by how much, at what rate, or what the exact effects will be.

The potential effects of climate change could have significant and irreversible impacts to human health and the planet. Freshwater shortages, sea-level rise, droughts, floods, severe hurricanes, reduced agricultural production, and the spread of insect‐borne and waterborne diseases are just a few of the predicted results of rising global temperatures. The consensus among climate scientists is that to avoid the most severe consequences of global warming, global emissions of greenhouse gases need to peak no later than 2025 and decline rapidly thereafter to a level between 50 and 85 percent below 2000 levels by 2050. The leadership and effort necessary to adapt to unavoidable climate change while simultaneously reducing emissions to these levels are major challenges that require unprecedented cooperation and participation across the world.