More About Climate Change

Learn how climate change is affecting our planet and what you can do to help reduce greenhouse gases.

The Earth’s climate is changing in ways that affect our weather, oceans, ecosystems, and global temperatures. Human activities contribute to climate change, primarily through the release of billions of tons of carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and other gases each year. These greenhouse gases, or GHGs, trap heat in the atmosphere and create changes in our climate, such as:

  • Changing weather and precipitation patterns
  • Increases in ocean temperatures, sea level, and acidity
  • Melting of glaciers and sea ice
  • Adverse impacts to water supply and water quality
  • Increased demand for electrical cooling
  • Increased smog and associated respiratory and heart-related illnesses

The Science and Impacts of Climate Change

Do you want to learn more about why climate change is happening? How is climate change going to affect the planet, California, and the Bay Area? Visit these sites to learn more about the science and impacts of climate change:

For information about more specific climate change impacts to the Bay Area, see Climate Change Impacts, Vulnerabilities and Adaptation in the San Francisco Bay Area.

What you can do

Learn about your carbon footprint

What is your contribution to GHG emissions? One way to answer this question is by learning about your carbon footprint. Here are sites to visit to learn about that:

Take steps to prevent climate change

What can you do to protect the climate? Here are some sites with ideas on what steps and actions you can take to reduce GHGs and help protect the climate:

Contact Us

Planning and Climate Protection
Climate Protection

415.749.4754 climate@baaqmd.gov

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Last Updated: 4/22/2021