How Concerned Should We Be About Climate Change?

By Chloe Rheuben

New York City, USA

A written sign at a climate justice protest (Ma Ti / Unsplash)

The earth is running out of time. Climate Change has a clock on it, literally. New York City’s Climate Clock, created by Gan Golan and Andrew Boyd, is a visual representation of how long the world has until climate change is irreversible. In April of 2025, the clock indicated that we have less than five years to fix our earth. 

So what exactly does this mean for the world? The science behind climate change becoming irreversible is that eventually, the effects of human-caused warming exceed the threshold. The limit? Well there is some debate about the climate threshold, the most commonly supported theory is that we cannot exceed 1.5 degrees celsius of human induced warming. Right now, we are exactly on the 1.5 degree line. This does not mean that we have reached a point of no return, given that we don’t have full data on what happens after the 1.5 threshold. This does mean that we should be doing everything in our power to stabilize our climate. 

So what can the average citizen do? Continue recycling and conserving resources. Try to shop locally, whether this be a farmers market or a small business. Join Youth Initiatives and attend protests with your friends - making change can be fun! One of the most helpful things right now would be to email local politicians and representatives and ask for more policies and mandates that specifically help the climate. It is important to remember that our climate is not a lost cause, but that it is in danger and cannot be ignored. 

If you find yourself in Union Square in New York City, look at the climate clock and absorb its message, but don’t be afraid of it. Instead of fearing climate change, take action so that it no longer becomes scary in the future.