Science FAQs

Climate change science

Frequently asked questions

• Question 1: What is the greenhouse effect?
• Question 2: Is the Earth's climate really hotting up?
• Question 3: Hasn't the Earth's climate always changed with ice ages and interglacial periods?
• Question 4: How do we know that most recent global warming is attributable to human activities rather than natural causes?
• Question 5: What is the carbon cycle? How does human activity contribute to the carbon cycle?
• Question 6: Will a few degrees warming have a significant impact on our climate?
• Question 7: How do scientists measure global surface temperatures?
  
• Question 8: How reliable are climate models?
• Question 9: How do scientists project future climate?
• Question 10: How much will sea levels rise as the world warms?
• Question 11: What is thermohaline circulation?
• Question 12: What is the El Niño—Southern Oscillation (ENSO)?
• Question 13: Apart from ENSO, how do the oceans affect Australia's climate?
• Question 14: Is there a link between climate change and the ozone hole?
• Question 15: What amount of warming is likely this century and can it be avoided?
• Question 16: What is the contribution of methane to the enhanced greenhouse effect?
• Question 17: What contribution do changes in the Sun's energy make to climate change?
• Question 18: What are the potential impacts of climate change?
• Question 19: How can we live with climate change?
• Question 20: What contributions do volcanic eruptions make to global warming?
• Question 21: Are recent droughts in Australia due to climate change?
• Question 22: What are the key climate change science findings in the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report?
• Question 23: What is Australia doing to address climate change impacts?
• Question 24: What is the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change?