Climate Change: The Biggest Challenge of Our Time

Climate change is the gradual warming of the Earth caused mainly by burning fossil fuels — oil, gas and coal. When we burn these fuels, we release carbon dioxide and other gases that trap the sun's heat in the atmosphere. The result is a rise in average temperatures that is changing weather patterns across the entire planet.

Scientists have been warning about this problem for decades. The data is clear: the last ten years have been the hottest on record. Glaciers are melting, sea levels are rising, and extreme weather events — hurricanes, floods, droughts — are becoming more frequent and more severe.

In poorer countries, the impact is especially serious. Droughts destroy crops and cause hunger. Floods destroy homes and communities. Millions of people are forced to leave their homes. Climate change is also one of the main drivers of current migration patterns around the world.

In Europe, summers are getting hotter and hotter. Spain, as we saw in another lesson, is one of the most vulnerable countries. Italy, Greece and Portugal also face longer heat waves and more devastating wildfires each year.

The main solution is to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. This means using fewer fossil fuels and more renewable energy — solar, wind and hydroelectric power. It also means changing how we get around — fewer petrol cars, more public transport and electric vehicles — and how we eat — less meat, especially beef.

International agreements, such as the Paris Agreement of 2015, set targets for reducing emissions. But many countries are not meeting their commitments. The window of time to act is closing fast.

Greenhouse gas, fossil fuels, renewable energy, global warming, carbon footprint, net zero, emissions, drought, flood, heatwave — these are the key words you need to talk about climate change in English.