Is it too late to stop climate change?

Overview:

• Earth is getting hotter, and this is causing more serious heatwaves, stronger storms and hurricanes, and longer droughts. Some countries are facing big problems, and many people have been forced to leave their homes because of climate-related disasters.
• The situation is serious, but there is still time to act. Scientists warn that we are getting close to dangerous points—like rising sea levels from melting ice. But if countries follow the 2015 Paris Agreement, we can slow down climate change and reduce the worst impacts.
• World Vision Canada helps children cope with climate change by supporting families with climate-smart farming, restoring damaged land with techniques like Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) and making sure children and youth have a voice in climate decisions. These efforts help communities stay strong, protect their environment and prepare for a changing climate

What is climate change?

Climate change means long-term changes in Earth’s temperature and weather. This leads to stronger storms, worse heatwaves and more droughts. If you’d like to learn more, we have a separate article about climate change where we discuss key facts and figures, causes and effects and ongoing solutions.

Will climate change cause humans to go extinct?

Scientists say humans are not expected to go extinct because of climate change. Many countries are using more clean energy and reducing pollution, which helps keep us away from the worst possible outcomes predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

However, climate change is still very dangerous for people living in vulnerable places. For example, Tuvalu, a small island nation in the Pacific, is at risk of being completely flooded as sea levels rise. Flooding already happens often, and seawater moves further inland each year.

“The land is eaten by the sea little by little,” says Alolita. “I worry about how we are going to live for the next decade.”

Alolita and her family moved from Tuvalu to Australia through a special agreement between the two countries. This deal allows 280 Tuvaluans each year to apply for permanent residency in Australia. Alolita was one of the first chosen, out of more than 8,700 applicants.

This agreement doesn’t stop climate change, but it shows how important it is for wealthier countries to help people displaced by climate disasters—and to reduce their own greenhouse gas emissions.

The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimates that 250 million people have been forced from their homes by climate-related disasters over the past decade. For these families, the question isn’t “When will climate change kill us?” but “What is the world doing to stop this?”

What will happen if we don’t stop climate change by 2050?

In 2025, World Vision responded to 34 emergencies, helping 3.9 million people. Many of these disasters were caused by extreme weather—like strong hurricanes, sandstorms and the effects of El Niño.

These kinds of emergencies could become normal if we don’t slow down climate change.

The United Nations says the world could look like this by 2050 if we don’t reduce pollution, greenhouse gases and the destruction of nature:

• More extreme heatwaves: Greenhouse gas emissions could rise to 75 billion tonnes a year by 2050. This would make dangerous heatwaves much more common around the world.
• Major damage to nature: By 2050, humans may be taking 165 billion tonnes of metals, minerals and fossil fuels from earth every year. This would destroy ecosystems and lead to the loss of many plants and animals forever.
• Air pollution becoming a top cause of death: Around 4.2 billion people could regularly breathe unsafe levels of tiny air particles called PM2.5, which can make asthma, heart disease and other health problems worse.
• More humanitarian crises: Extreme weather could push 132 million people into poverty, put 24 million people at risk of hunger and leave 3.3 billion people struggling to access enough water.

When will climate change become irreversible?

Scientists say we must keep global warming below 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid the most dangerous effects. This goal needs to be met over many decades, not just one year. That’s why the Paris Agreement from 2015 is so important.

The hottest year ever recorded was 2024, when the world went above 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time. If we keep polluting at the current rate, we may have only three to four years before it becomes impossible to meet the Paris Agreement goals.

Experts warn that we are getting close to several tipping points, which are changes we cannot undo:

• Melting ice sheets in the Arctic, Antarctic and Greenland
• Thawing permafrost, which could release even more greenhouse gases
• Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest, a key part of Earth’s climate system
• Warming oceans, causing coral reefs to bleach and die

Is there still hope to reverse climate change?

Yes. Climate experts say it’s not too late to meet our climate targets—but we must act fast.

Every small increase in temperature matters. The closer we get to 1.5 degrees Celsius, the more permanent and harmful the damage becomes.

Staying below that limit is the best way to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

How does climate change affect children?

Climate change affects everyone, but not in the same way.

Low-income countries feel the worst impacts, while wealthier countries—like Canada— can afford stronger protections.

Yet the biggest share of pollution comes from a small group: in 2026, the richest one per cent used up their entire yearly carbon budget in just 10 days.

Climate change isn’t only about rising temperatures. It makes many global problems even worse—like displacement, hunger and gender inequality. More than one billion children live in countries that are most at risk. In any crisis—including those caused by climate change—children suffer the most.

Here are five ways climate change affects children’s lives:

1. Malnutrition

Droughts and floods can destroy crops and disrupt food supplies. When there isn’t enough healthy food, more children become malnourished.

2. Lack of shelter

Flooding, heatwaves, and climate-related famines can damage homes. In low-income countries, many families already lack strong housing, making them even more vulnerable.

3. Displacement

After climate disasters, families may need to leave their homes and move to temporary shelters. These shelters can be unsafe, with higher risks of disease, violence and exploitation.

4. Disease

Hotter temperatures and more rainfall help mosquitoes and ticks spread diseases like malaria and dengue fever. Dirty or contaminated water also increases the risk of illnesses like diarrhea.

5. Gender inequality

In many low-income countries, girls and women are responsible for collecting water. As water sources dry up or move farther away because of climate change, their workload and risk of harm increases. This deepens the cycle of inequality.

What is World Vision doing to help children cope with climate change?

World Vision works with communities that are most affected by poverty and unfair treatment. Because climate change hurts people who did very little to cause it, we see it as an issue of fairness and justice.

Here are the main ways World Vision is helping children and families deal with climate change:

1. Helping families build climate-smart livelihoods

World Vision teaches communities new farming methods that can survive tough weather. These include:

• Growing different types of crops
• Keeping bees for honey and income
• Collecting and saving rainwater
• These skills help families earn a steady income even when the climate is changing.

2. Restoring damaged land

Many communities see the effects of climate change in their land—like dried-up lakes or soil that no longer grows food.

World Vision trains farmers in Farmer-Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR). This method helps bring back trees, plants and healthy soil. It was a technique spearheaded by Tony Rinaudo from World Vision Australia and has helped many areas become green and productive again.

3. Raising the voices of children and youth

Children and young people will face climate change the longest, so their opinions matter.

World Vision:

• Creates safe spaces for kids to speak out
• Holds youth forums
• Trains young people to share their concerns with community and national leaders

This helps decision-makers understand what children need and want for their future. Get involved by learning about our climate change work or giving a gift to help end climate impacts.