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Climate Change: A Scientific Overview for Students

Education For All 

By: Amani Al-rayah


Climate change has shifted from distant projections to present reality. As 2024 became the warmest year on record globally, with temperatures reaching 1.6°C above pre-industrial levels, understanding this phenomenon has become essential for everyone, especially students who will inherit its consequences.


What Is Climate Change?

Climate change refers to significant, long-term alterations in global temperature and weather patterns. It's important to distinguish this from everyday weather—while weather describes conditions at a specific time and place, climate represents long-term patterns averaged over decades.


"Global warming" specifically describes rising average temperatures caused by greenhouse gas concentrations. Climate change is the broader term, encompassing not just warming but all resulting shifts in weather patterns, precipitation, sea levels, and ecosystems.

The key difference from natural climate variation is speed. While Earth's climate has changed throughout history, current changes are happening at an unprecedented rate. Since 1970, global temperatures have increased by approximately 0.9°C, with certain regions experiencing far more dramatic warming.



The Science Behind Why This Is Happening

The scientific consensus is overwhelming. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), human activities have "unequivocally caused global warming" through greenhouse gas emissions. Research shows that 90-100% of climate scientists agree that human-caused global warming is occurring.


The mechanism is straightforward: greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane trap heat from the sun in Earth's atmosphere, similar to how a blanket retains warmth. This greenhouse effect is natural and necessary—without it, Earth would be too cold for life. However, human activities have intensified it dramatically.


The primary culprits are fossil fuels—coal, oil, and natural gas. When burned for transportation, electricity, and industry, these fuels release massive quantities of CO₂ that had been locked underground for millions of years. Deforestation compounds the problem by removing trees that absorb CO₂. Additional contributors include agriculture (producing methane from livestock) and various industrial processes.


As of 2023, atmospheric CO₂ concentrations reached their highest levels in 800,000 years. The Middle East and North Africa, while home to only 6% of the global population, contributed 8.7% of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2018, primarily due to the region's extensive energy sector.



Real Impacts We're Witnessing Today

Climate change effects are visible and measurable right now.


Record-breaking heat: 2024 was Earth's warmest year on record. Heat waves in major cities have tripled since the 1960s. Parts of the Middle East experienced heat indices reaching 66.7°C in July 2023—at the very limit of human survivability.


Devastating floods: Warmer air holds more moisture, leading to intense rainfall. In 2024, over 605 extreme weather events displaced more than 824,000 people and killed approximately 1,700 worldwide. Hurricane Helene dumped up to 76 cm of rain in the southern Appalachians, causing historic flooding. The economic toll is staggering—the first half of 2025 saw 14 billion-dollar weather disasters in the U.S. alone, totaling over $101 billion.


Rising seas: Global sea levels continue climbing as oceans expand and ice sheets melt. Scientists warn that portions of the West Antarctic ice sheet may be past critical tipping points. If it melts completely, sea levels would rise approximately 3.7 meters.


Ecosystem collapse: Climate change now threatens over 3,500 species. Africa's forests transitioned from absorbing carbon to releasing it between 2010 and 2017 due to deforestation and warming.



Climate Change in the Middle East and GCC

The Middle East and North Africa region, including GCC countries (Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, and Bahrain), faces particularly severe impacts. This already hot and dry region is warming faster than almost anywhere else.


Extreme temperature increases: The MENA region will reach critical warming thresholds two to three decades earlier than the rest of the world. The region's temperature has risen at 0.36°C per decade from 1981-2020. By 2100, parts of the Arabian Peninsula could experience up to 9°C of warming. Projections suggest that by mid-century, up to 600 million people in the region could face recurring extreme heat waves, with temperatures reaching 56°C or higher lasting several weeks. In some areas, the combination of heat and humidity could make portions of the region uninhabitable by 2100 without extensive adaptation.


Water scarcity: The MENA region already faces severe water stress. By 2025, between 80 and 100 million people in the region will experience critical water shortages. A NASA study found that the 1998-2012 Middle East drought was the worst in 900 years, with climate change making such droughts three times more likely.


Environmental degradation: GCC countries face desertification, biodiversity loss, and sea level rise threatening coastal areas. Coral reefs in the Persian Gulf are experiencing mass bleaching from rising temperatures.


Economic implications: Gulf economies depend heavily on oil and gas revenues—the very fuels driving emissions. If the world transitions to renewable energy, these economies will need fundamental restructuring. However, GCC countries are investing billions in renewable energy, recognizing both threat and opportunity.



What Students Can Do

Students have more power than they might realize. Recent research from UNSW Sydney found that promoting personal climate actions doesn't erode support for systemic change—it actually strengthens it.


At Home

  • Energy conservation: Turn off lights, unplug devices, switch to LED bulbs, and adjust air conditioning settings

  • Sustainable transportation: Walk, cycle, use public transport, or carpool instead of solo car trips

  • Dietary choices: Reducing meat and dairy consumption is among the most impactful individual actions

  • Water conservation: Fix leaks, take shorter showers, and be mindful of usage—especially crucial in the Middle East

  • Mindful consumption: Buy less, choose minimal packaging, repair instead of replace, and purchase second-hand


At School

  • Start or join environmental clubs to organize sustained efforts

  • Advocate for school sustainability like solar panels, eliminating single-use plastics, or starting composting programs

  • Organize awareness campaigns through presentations, posters, social media, or film screenings

  • Integrate climate education into existing courses

  • Join youth climate networks like Students for Climate Action to amplify your voice



Building Climate Literacy for Future Careers

Understanding climate change is increasingly essential for career preparation. The transition to a low-carbon economy is creating millions of jobs in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, green technology, environmental consulting, and climate finance. Even traditional industries need professionals who understand climate impacts and solutions.


The National Academies of Sciences emphasized in their 2025 report that evidence for climate harm is "beyond scientific dispute." As impacts intensify, expertise in adaptation and mitigation becomes valuable across all sectors. Young people developing climate literacy now position themselves to lead in industries that will dominate the 21st-century economy.


Programs like Oxford's Future Climate Innovators summer school, UN climate finance training, and university adaptation courses equip students with climate-focused career skills. Morocco's hackathons brought together young people to develop water management solutions, with seed funding for top projects. Zimbabwe launched initiatives teaching youth about climate finance and carbon markets.



Moving Forward

The climate crisis is accelerating, but so is action. Solar, wind, and electric vehicles have reached tipping points where costs continue declining as adoption spreads. Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, stressed: "When climate disasters decimate the lives of millions, when we already have the solutions, this will never, ever be forgiven."


Students don't have to solve the entire crisis alone. Climate action operates on multiple levels: individual choices, institutional changes, and political advocacy. Research shows these efforts complement rather than compete with each other.


Every fraction of a degree matters. Every ton of emissions avoided matters. Every person who develops climate literacy matters. As young people inheriting this planet, students have both the strongest motivation and the longest timeline to see results.


The climate crisis requires human solutions. Understanding the science provides the foundation. Recognizing impacts creates urgency. Taking action—whether personal, institutional, or political—transforms knowledge into change. Students aren't just preparing for the future; they're actively shaping it.


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