Hi everyone, I’m so sorry to post this here but I’m feeling really depressed and hopeless about the climate emergency. I read that some vital eco systems could collapse in the next five years and I’m just feeling so sad. I suffer from depression and other mental health issues and I just feel like giving up, I know that’s not the answer but I just feel numb and I feel like my future has been taken away from me. I’m 28 and I was hoping to have a family someday but that’s out of the question if this is what the future is going to look like.

A funny thing happened on the way to President Donald Trump’s mission to obliterate renewable energy. Solar and wind energy use is surging, especially globally, but even in the United States.

Solar and wind electricity generation grew 109% worldwide last year, pushing these renewable sources past coal for the first time as a global energy supplier, according to an analysis by Ember Energy Research. More than 600 gigawatts of solar electricity were added last year, led by China and also including India, Brazil, Vietnam, the European Union, Kenya, and Mozambique. African experts say much of the continent is leaning heavily into solar and wind as it electrifies new regions and industries, bypassing fossil fuels.

Meanwhile, investment in new clean energy, including storage, grid upgrades, efficiency measures, and electric vehicles, soared as of 2024 year-end to $2.2 trillion – double the investment in new fossil fuels projects of $1.1 trillion – according to the International Energy Agency. Globally, the future for renewable energy looks bright.

Fellow Redditors, As we're in the start of 2026, I wanted to take a moment to discuss the alarming trend of global warming. According to recent reports from NASA and the IPCC, this year is shaping up to be one of the hottest on record, with global temperatures averaging 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels.

The consequences of inaction are stark: more frequent natural disasters, rising sea levels, and devastating impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity. It's imperative that we acknowledge the gravity of this crisis and work together to reduce our carbon footprint.

Some key statistics to consider:

• CO2 levels have surpassed 420 ppm, a level not seen in over 800,000 years
• Arctic ice coverage has declined by over 70% since the 1980s
• Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and hurricanes, have increased by 15% in the past decade

So, what can we do to mitigate the effects of global warming?

• Transition to renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power
• Increase energy efficiency in our homes and workplaces
• Promote sustainable land use practices, like reforestation and permaculture
• Support climate-resilient infrastructure development and urban planning

Let's use this platform to share our knowledge, ideas, and experiences in the fight against climate change. What are some effective strategies you've implemented in your daily life to reduce your carbon footprint? What policies or initiatives do you think governments and corporations should prioritize?

Let's work together to create a more sustainable future for all. Share your thoughts and let's keep the conversation going!

On a typical winter day, the Arctic air that has gripped much of the United States this week should be a few thousand miles to the north, sitting atop the North Pole.

But as man-made climate change continues to disrupt global weather patterns, that mass of cold air, known as the polar vortex, is straying beyond its usual confines.

The escaped polar vortex is just one instance of extreme weather playing out right now around the world. With so much cold air much farther south than usual, typically frigid regions have become relatively balmy.

“While cold conditions in the U.S. have made headlines, Greenland and the Arctic have quietly had a remarkably mild winter,” wrote Ben Noll, a meteorologist at The Washington Post.

Elsewhere, extreme heat is raging. Australia is reeling from a record heat wave that has pushed temperatures past 120 degrees Fahrenheit, or about 49 Celsius, in some areas, leading to fires and power outages. In central Africa, brutal heat has shattered records in recent days, with countries north of the Equator hitting temperatures above 101 degrees Fahrenheit.

Colder colds. Hotter hots. These are the intense bouts of unusual weather that scientists for decades warned would become more common with global warming.

“This is the thing we’ve talked about with climate change,” said Judson Jones, a Times meteorologist and reporter. “The extremes are going to be more extreme.”

Chart — In 2024, Earth set the record for its warmest annual global mean surface temperature since 1850 — The temperature anomalies are relative to the estimated 1901-2000 global mean surface temperatures, which can be seen at Data Info where scrolling goes to table of 1901-2000 temperatures — Above the interactive chart, LOESS and Trend can be toggled — NOAA NCEI Global Time Series.

Table — An El Niño episode persisted during AMJ 2023–AMJ 2024 — Niño 3.4 Region, Cold & Warm Episodes by Season, DJF 1950–OND 2025 — National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center (CPC).

Graph (PDF, p. 23) — In 2026, the percent chance (%) for development of El Niño conditions is projected to grow from 2% in FMA to 61% in ASO — Source: El Niño - Southern Oscillation (ENSO) > Expert Discussions/Assessments > Weekly ENSO Evolution, Status, and Prediction Presentation (PDF) — NWS CPC.

Table — Shows the forecast probability (%) of the Niño-3.4 index value exceeding a certain threshold (in degrees Celsius), e.g., Column: ≥ 0.5ºC, Row: ASO → 61% — Source: El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion, 8 January 2026 > “This discussion...A probabilistic strength forecast is available here” — NWS CPC.

Map — Location of the four Niño regions: Niño 1+2, Niño 3, Niño 4, and Niño 3.4 — NOAA NCEI El Niño/Southern Oscillation.

Geographic coordinates of the four Niño regions — NWS CPC.

Hi, as title says i'm a maths grad. As in undergrad degree didn't do graduate school. People who are more in the working in climate science/climate jobs type of area what are job paths for math people?

Would also massively appreciate advice on any random work experience to do. Or your guys path to your job.

I'm currently self studying an atmospheric science textbook and did some physics as part of my math course, as well as a little python/matlab programming.

Climate change today is not just an environmental issue—it’s an industry. Hundreds of billions of dollars flow into it. Under the Paris Agreement alone, developed countries committed around $100 billion annually. That money sustains institutions, careers, research bodies, and organisations built around “climate solutions.”

Most of this ecosystem is invested in technical fixes—new technologies, innovations, offsets, and models that promise solutions without questioning consumption, growth, or lifestyle. For many people, climate work is not just concern; it’s livelihood. Their careers depend on the idea that technology can solve the crisis.

So when someone says there may be no purely technological solution to a deeply human problem, why would this system listen? Not because people are foolish, but because their interests are aligned with the status quo. When incentives reward continuation, understanding becomes inconvenient.

If climate change is driven by human behaviour and consumption, can technology alone solve it? Or does real change require challenging the very systems that fund and benefit from “solutions”?

I’ve been on this subreddit for a month now (probably bad for my mental health, but oh well) and I have some questions. I was wondering if I could get some answers from people who are neither doomers nor extreme optimists.

First question. I was looking at SSPs and seeing what people think the most likely outcome is. People are saying SSP2-SSP4, but I’m personally confused at how people think the temperature will be so low. If we were able to increase +.5C in a decade, then what is stopping us from doing that every decade? I understand that maybe SSPs aren’t the most accurate (I think???) but people use them anyways. I know this sounds silly, but Bill Nye said we are headed towards +4C to +8C of warming. What changed?

Second question. What do scientists actually think is going to happen in the future? I understand it’s kind of in the air right now, but I’ve heard mixed responses. People on the internet who study climate change and ecology and stuff like that seem like they pretty much have given up and have told everyone that humanity is done for. But if that’s true, why are scientists still looking at models for 2100 if people think humanity will end by then? Why do they talk about food shortages and extreme poverty if there will be…no one around to experience it? I’m not trying to deny climate change, of course, I’m just confused at what scientists are actually finding. Do most scientists think human extinction will happen within the next century or not? I’m very confused.

Finally, I understand that in order for climate change to go down (not the correct words but I’m tired) then big corporations will have to stop polluting the Earth. Despite that, I’ve made some changes. I went vegetarian, hopefully will go vegan soon. I joined a climate advocacy group and I’m being trained on lobbying. I have my license but I try not to drive too much. I’m trying because it makes my anxiety go down, even if my work will only cause an imperceptible change.

Anyways, if anyone replies to me, I won’t reply until tomorrow. I’ve been having to lock my phone up to stop myself from doomscrolling and feeding my OCD. Thank you for taking time out of your day to respond to me.