• Since 1900, Earth’s temperature has risen by 1 °C (1.8 °F). It might not sound much, but this rise is enough to trigger extreme weather events like heatwaves, flash floods and wildfires.
• The most consecutive years with one or more Category-5 hurricanes in each, are the last four: 2016-2019.
• By 2100, temperatures could rise by 4.8°C (8.5°F). In this worst-case scenario, the state of Florida is now ocean, and London, Venice and the Netherlands are also lost to the sea.
• According to Forbes, oil firms spend millions every year on climate change lobbying - making efforts to delay, control or block political policies to tackle climate change. BP, Shell and ExxonMobil spent $53m, $49m and $41m respectively in 2019. Chevron and Total each spend around $29 million annually.
• Increased levels of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide (CO2) are causing global warming. In 1750 the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere was about 280 ppm (parts per million). It is now around 410 ppm, which means that CO2 levels today are higher than at any point in the past 800,000 years.
• Scientists are already forecasting a 50-90 percent increase in food demand by 2050, which means more forests will be cleared, less CO2 will be stored in trees, and more CO2 will be emitted.