The anticipated consequences of climate change range from a gradual to a catastrophic impact on the environment, ecology, economy and society. International governmental environmental responses, policies, targets and achievements for emissions reductions and renewable energy are promising, yet so far practical results are not reassuring. 

Despite successive rounds of international diplomacy to reduce greenhouse gas emissions the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere continues to rise, heating the earth at an alarming rate. The insistent lag between emissions reductions promises and achievements is almost universal. More threatening still is the continued existence internationally of climate change denial at governmental and corporate levels. 

In 2024/2025, there began to emerge a more widespread social sense of malaise with environmentalism in a growing 'greenlash' sentiment. Survey results indicate that people continue to care about climate change, but are afraid of changing their own habits, and unwilling or unable to sustain cost increases associated with reforms. 

The challenge for governments is to develop green policies that make decarbonisation affordable and to highlight its vital benefits.