Ask MIT Climate works to answer questions that people have asked about our changing planet, the impact it will have to life on Earth, and what folks can do about it! Answers to all types of questions are provided by MIT faculty and scientists.

We’ve included list of questions and the start to answers below. The provided links will take you directly to the specific Ask MIT Climate question on MIT’s Climate Portal where you can get the full answer!

We also encourage you to browse Ask MIT Climate directly in the Climate Portal.

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What method of waste disposal is best for the climate?

All waste disposal methods release greenhouse gases, and it’s hard to make apples-to-apples comparisons. But there’s only one solution that doesn’t contribute to climate change at all: not making waste in the first place.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/what-method-waste-disposal-best-climate
Has there been climate change before?

The Earth’s climate is always changing, but human-caused climate change today is unlike any other period in our planet’s history

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/has-there-been-climate-change
Could Snowpiercer actually happen?

Not accidentally—there would need to be deliberate efforts over many generations to get an ice-covered Earth. But geoengineering to reduce the risks of climate change does pose other risks that are much more probable than the ones shown in Snowpiercer

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/could-snowpiercer-actually-happen
I know that if we stop burning fossil fuels, it will reduce carbon emissions. But are there other benefits as well?

Reducing fossil fuel use is not just a long-term investment to slow climate change—it also protects human health and environmental ecosystems, saving lives almost immediately.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/i-know-if-we-stop-burning-fossil-fuels-it-will-reduce-carbon-emissions-are-there-other
How do greenhosue gases trap heat in the atmosphere?

Greenhouse gas molecules in the atmosphere absorb light, preventing some of it from escaping the Earth. This heats up the atmosphere and raises the planet’s average temperature.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-do-greenhouse-gases-trap-heat-atmosphere
How efficient is carbon capture and storage?

Most carbon capture technologies aim to stop at least 90% of the CO₂ in smokestacks from reaching the atmosphere. But as the technology approaches 100% efficiency, it gets more expensive and takes more energy to capture additional CO₂.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-efficient-carbon-capture-and-storage
Why aren’t we looking at more hydropower?

Hydropower is already a major source of power globally—it’s the largest source of renewable electricity and one of the fastest growing—but there are limited places to build hydropower, and large dams carry a number of social and environmental concerns.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/why-arent-we-looking-more-hydropower
How are countries held accountable under the Paris Agreement?

The short answer is that there is no hard enforcement in the Paris Agreement. But all the members regularly meet, share progress, and renew their pledges of climate action, encouraging every country to step up its commitments.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/how-are-countries-held-accountable-under-paris-agreement
Why have I heard that eating meat is bad for the climate?

Meat directly produces greenhouse gas emissions and requires more land and other resources than plant-based foods.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/why-have-i-heard-eating-meat-bad-climate
Is there a place in the atmosphere where carbon dioxide is concentrated, and if so, can we remove it?

Carbon dioxide mixes evenly through the atmosphere. But the atmosphere as a whole is densest near the ground, so a cubic foot of air at ground level will contain more carbon dioxide molecules than a cubic foot of air high up in the sky.

https://climate.mit.edu/ask-mit/there-place-atmosphere-where-carbon-dioxide-concentrated-and-if-so-can-we-remove-it

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Wildfires

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Wildfires are becoming more frequent and sever as a result of climate change, as forest in arid parts of the world become hotter and drier.

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