What is the main greenhouse gas released by burning coal, oil and gas?
AnswerCarbon dioxide
Burning fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide (CO₂), the largest driver of human-caused warming.
Science · Facts & stats
Climate facts & stats
7 fact-checked facts about climate action you can measure, each with the reason behind it. 5 more are in today's round and join this page after it closes.
The basics
Roughly how much has the global average surface temperature risen since the late 1800s?
AnswerAbout 1.2°C
Global average temperature is about 1.1 to 1.3°C above the 1850–1900 baseline (IPCC AR6, WMO).
Going deeper
Methane traps far more heat than CO₂ over 20 years, roughly how much more?
AnswerAbout 80 times
Methane has a 20-year global warming potential of about 80 (IPCC AR6), which is why landfill and livestock methane matter.
What does 'net zero' mean for a country or company?
AnswerEmissions released are balanced by emissions removed
Net zero means any remaining emissions are matched by removals, so the net addition to the atmosphere is zero.
Which of these is the cheapest new electricity source in most of the world today?
AnswerUtility-scale solar
IEA and Lazard analyses show utility-scale solar and onshore wind are now the lowest-cost new generation in most markets.
Expert level
Atmospheric CO₂ passed which milestone in the 2010s for the first time in human history?
Answer400 parts per million
Monthly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa first exceeded 400 ppm in 2013; it is now above 420 ppm (NOAA).
Which feedback makes Arctic warming faster than the global average?
AnswerMelting ice exposes darker ocean that absorbs more heat
The ice-albedo feedback: bright ice reflects sunlight, open water absorbs it, so losing ice speeds further warming.
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