as the evidence for climate change has mounted so too have the impacts climate change is not just a future problem it is happening now and its effects are being felt across the globe one of the most visible impacts is the increase in extreme weather events heat waves have become more frequent and intense leading to record-breaking temperatures across continents wildfires fueled by these heat waves and prolonged droughts have devastated forests homes and ecosystems from Australia to California hurricanes and typhoons are becoming more powerful with warmer ocean temperatures providing more energy for these storms the damage caused by these storms is compounded by rising sea levels which increase the risk of storm surges and coastal flooding