Climate change—the long-term alteration of average temperatures and weather patterns—is often described as the existential crisis of our time. As global climate change intensifies, so will its impacts, such as rising sea levels, extreme heat weather events, drought and famine, wildfires, species extinction, new infectious diseases, and human displacement. While climate change affects everyone, it often disproportionately affects Indigenous groups, people of color, and low-income communities, and other groups sometimes known as “frontline” communities because they are frequently the first to experience the impacts of climate change-related weather events.

Scientists have identified greenhouse gas emissions—especially from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas—as the biggest driver of global climate change. Deforestation and industrial agriculture are also among the contributors to the crisis.

Preventing further irreversible damage from climate change will require a rapid transition away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner energy sources, accompanied by increased adoption of sustainable agriculture, forestry, and land-use practices. Simultaneously, responding to existing climate impacts requires investing in infrastructure and systems to protect people, communities, and the natural environment.

Read the full article about climate philanthropy by Caroline Suozzi at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors.