Climate change is having increasingly severe consequences around the world, and the need to take action is becoming more urgent.
The good news is that solutions exist - and many are already working.
From transitioning to clean energy to helping communities adapt to changes already underway, we have the knowledge and technology needed to tackle climate change. What we do in the next few years will determine what kind of world today's 2.4 billion children inherit.
In this article, we explore proven solutions to combat climate change and help mitigate its effects for current and future generations.
Updated in March 2026
Two Approaches: Mitigation and Adaptation
Climate action operates on two tracks:
Mitigation means reducing greenhouse gas emissions to slow down climate change. This includes switching to renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and protecting forests. The goal is to prevent the problem from getting worse.
Adaptation means adjusting to the climate changes already happening and preparing for future impacts. This includes building flood defences, developing drought-resistant crops and creating early warning systems for extreme weather. The goal is to protect people and communities from climate impacts we can't prevent.
Both approaches are essential. While we work to reduce emissions and limit future warming, we must also help communities - particularly the most vulnerable - cope with the changes already affecting their lives.
A portrait of Atika, 12, at her family’s farm in drought-affected East Sumba, Indonesia.
For a comprehensive overview of the climate change effects we're working to address, see our climate change facts guide.
Transitioning to Renewable Energy
Replacing fossil fuels with clean energy is the single most important solution to climate change. The transition is already underway and accelerating faster than many predicted.
Solar Power
Solar energy has become remarkably affordable and efficient. In 2024, global solar capacity grew by a record-breaking amount, with solar accounting for over half of all new renewable energy additions worldwide. Solar photovoltaic panels now generate electricity even on cloudy days, making them practical across diverse climates.
In the UK, solar power has experienced explosive growth. Solar generation increased by 33% in 2024, contributing 18 TWh of electricity - up from just 4 TWh the previous year. During peak summer hours in July 2024, solar panels supplied up to 40% of the UK's electricity demand, demonstrating how rapidly this technology is scaling.
The expansion includes both massive solar farms and distributed rooftop installations. In 2024 alone, 250,000 small-scale solar systems were installed across the UK, with over 1.6 million homes now equipped with solar panels.
Wind Power
Wind energy is now the UK's largest single source of electricity. In 2024, wind power provided 30% of the UK's electricity - more than any other source including gas - generating 85 TWh of clean power. This marks a historic milestone in the country's energy transformation.
Offshore wind has driven much of this growth. The UK benefits from some of the world's best wind resources, with major projects like Dogger Bank significantly boosting capacity. Between 2015 and 2024, offshore wind's contribution increased from 43% to 58% of total wind generation.
Globally, wind capacity additions are projected to increase 45% between 2025-2030 compared to the previous period, with cumulative onshore wind additions reaching 732 GW over that timeframe.
Hydropower
Hydropower remains a crucial renewable energy source, particularly for providing consistent baseload power. While growth rates have slowed in developed nations, hydropower capacity is expanding in countries like Ethiopia, Indonesia, Nepal and Tanzania. Globally, hydropower capacity reached 1,283 GW in 2024.
Energy Efficiency and Conservation
Using energy more efficiently reduces emissions while saving money. Improvements span from individual homes to entire industrial systems.
Insulating Homes and Installing Heat Pumps
Better insulation dramatically reduces energy needed for heating and cooling. Heat pumps - which move heat rather than generate it - can be three to four times more efficient than traditional gas boilers.
Efficiently Designed Buildings
New buildings can be designed to minimise energy use through proper orientation, natural ventilation, high-performance windows and integrated renewable energy systems. The UK's Future Homes Standard will favour low-carbon technologies, with new homes increasingly built without gas connections.
Smart Grids and Efficiency Standards
Smart electricity grids balance supply and demand in real-time, integrating variable renewable energy more effectively. Energy efficiency standards for appliances, vehicles and industrial equipment drive continuous improvements in how efficiently we use energy.
Every morning, 12-year-old Ratana sets off from her home on Cambodia’s Tonle Sap Lake by boat. She’s heading for a floating school supported by Save the Children – but she’s got a vital job to do before she gets there. As she rows she picks up friends along the way – and together they work to clear the rubbish that litters the lake. It is children like Ratana and her friends that are this fishing community’s best hope of saving their lake and livelihood. It is her generation that is leading the fightback against climate change across the world.
Junior holds a seedling from his community garden. Conor Ashleigh / Save the Children
Sustainable Agriculture and Forestry
How we use land profoundly affects both emissions and our ability to absorb carbon dioxide.
Regenerative Agriculture
Regenerative farming practices improve soil health, increase carbon storage and make farms more resilient to climate impacts. Techniques include crop rotation, cover crops, reduced tillage and integrating livestock with crop production. These methods can simultaneously reduce emissions, improve yields and build resilience against droughts and floods.
Afforestation and Reforestation
Planting new forests and restoring degraded ones creates carbon sinks while providing numerous co-benefits including biodiversity protection, watershed protection and sustainable livelihoods. However, protecting existing forests is equally crucial - deforestation currently releases vast amounts of stored carbon. In 2024, tropical forests lost 6.7 million hectares, an area nearly the size of Panama disappearing at 18 football fields per minute.
Agroforestry
Integrating trees into farming systems provides shade, improves soil, offers additional income sources through timber or fruit and stores carbon. This approach is particularly valuable in tropical and subtropical regions where it can boost food security while addressing climate change.
Using More Responsible Means of Transportation
Transport accounts for a substantial portion of emissions. Solutions focus on electrification, efficiency improvements and mode shifting.
Electric vehicles (EVs) are rapidly gaining market share. In the UK, EVs are starting to have a measurable impact on transport emissions, contributing to emission reductions observed in 2024. The UK government has committed to ending new petrol car sales by 2030 - five years earlier than the EU.
Investing in public transport, cycling infrastructure and pedestrian-friendly urban design reduces reliance on private vehicles. High-speed rail offers lower-emission alternatives to short-haul flights.
Everything is connected. No one knows that better than Alison, a mother of six from Malaita in the Solomon Islands. Her country – made up of hundreds of islands in the South Pacific – is a microcosm for climate change.
Reducing Meat and Dairy Consumption
Livestock farming, particularly cattle, generates significant greenhouse gas emissions.
Shifting toward more plant-based diets can substantially reduce an individual's carbon footprint. This doesn't require everyone to become vegetarian - even reducing meat consumption and choosing lower-impact options like chicken over beef makes a difference.
Carbon Pricing and Policy Solutions
Putting a price on carbon emissions - through carbon taxes or cap-and-trade systems - creates economic incentives for businesses and individuals to reduce emissions. These policies can drive innovation while generating revenue that governments can invest in clean energy and climate adaptation.
The UK's carbon pricing mechanisms have successfully driven down power sector emissions. More broadly, government policies including renewable energy mandates, building codes and vehicle efficiency standards accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels.
Circular Economy Approaches
A circular economy minimises waste by keeping materials in use as long as possible through reuse, repair, refurbishment and recycling.
This approach reduces emissions from extracting raw materials and manufacturing new products while creating economic opportunities.
Converting Waste Materials into Usable Energy
Rather than sending organic waste to landfills where it produces methane, waste-to-energy technologies can convert it into biogas for electricity and heating.
Proper waste management including composting and anaerobic digestion both reduces emissions and creates value from materials that would otherwise be wasted.
Individual Action: What Can Each of Us Do?
While systemic change driven by governments and businesses is essential, individual actions collectively make a significant difference.
Here are practical steps anyone can take:
Make your voice heard. Contact your MP, local councillors and businesses about climate action. Support organisations working on climate solutions. Individual actions become collective power when we speak up and demand change from those with the power to deliver it.
Reduce energy use at home. Switch to a renewable energy supplier. Improve home insulation. Use energy-efficient appliances and LED bulbs. Turn off devices when not in use. Even small changes reduce both emissions and energy bills.
Travel more sustainably. Walk, cycle or use public transport when possible. If you need a vehicle, consider electric or hybrid options. For holidays, choose destinations closer to home or travel by train rather than plane when feasible.
Shift toward plant-based eating. Animal agriculture, particularly beef and dairy, produces significant emissions. Reducing meat consumption - even by a few meals per week - makes a meaningful difference. Choosing seasonal, local produce and reducing food waste also helps.
Buy less, choose better, make it last. Fast fashion and disposable consumer culture drive emissions through production and waste. Buy quality items that last, repair rather than replace, buy secondhand, and recycle properly. The most sustainable item is often the one you already own.
Support climate solutions. Support businesses committed to sustainability. Donate to or volunteer with organizations working on climate action and adaptation.
These individual actions matter most when they inspire others and build momentum for systemic change. Share what you learn, encourage friends and family to take action, and recognise that personal choices and political advocacy work together to create the transformation we need.
Josephine, seven, and Lucy, four, picking flowers from a garden outside their home in Malaita Province, the Solomon Islands.
Climate Change Adaptation: Building Resilience
Even as we work to reduce emissions, communities worldwide - particularly those most vulnerable - are already experiencing climate impacts. Adaptation solutions help people cope with changes and build resilience.
Click on the red arrows to find out more.
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Early Warning Systems and Disaster Preparedness
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Effective early warning systems for floods, droughts, heatwaves and storms save lives by giving communities time to prepare. Coupled with disaster preparedness planning, these systems help reduce damage and enable faster recovery.
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Climate-Resilient Infrastructure
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Building or retrofitting infrastructure to withstand climate impacts protects communities and ensures essential services continue during extreme weather. This includes flood defences, drought-resistant water systems and buildings designed to cope with extreme heat.
In 2024, Save the Children supported the construction of over 1,150 climate-resilient classrooms in nearly 230 schools in Mozambique - a country repeatedly hit by devastating cyclones. These classrooms protect children during extreme weather and ensure learning can continue even when disaster strikes.
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Climate-Smart Agriculture
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Farmers need support to adapt to changing conditions. Climate-smart agriculture includes drought-resistant crop varieties, improved water management, diversified cropping systems and soil conservation techniques. These approaches help communities continue feeding themselves despite changing rainfall patterns and increased temperatures.
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Social Protection and Financial Inclusion
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When climate disasters strike, families need immediate support to meet basic needs and recover their livelihoods. Social protection systems including emergency cash transfers, insurance schemes and savings programmes provide crucial safety nets. According to research, $100 billion would be saved every year responding to disasters if contingency planning, social protection and financial inclusion were improved.
Progress in the UK and Globally
Real progress is underway. In 2024, renewables accounted for 51% of the UK's electricity generation, surpassing fossil fuels for the first time. Greenhouse gas emissions have fallen 50.4% since 1990, making the UK one of the leading economies in decarbonisation.
Globally, renewable energy capacity grew by a record-breaking 15.1% in 2024, with an additional 585 GW of power added worldwide.
The UK government has committed to achieving clean power by 2030 and reducing emissions by 81% from 1990 levels by 2035, with full net zero by 2050.
Sara, 15, at the climate march she attended organised by the child-led group Respect Our Rights (ROR) in Prishtina, Kosovo
Climate Justice and the Unequal Burden
Climate change is fundamentally an inequality crisis. Those who have contributed least to causing it - particularly children in low-income countries - face the worst impacts. The world's wealthiest 1% are responsible for twice the level of emissions of the poorest 50%, yet wealthy nations and individuals have far greater resources to protect themselves from climate impacts.
This injustice extends to future generations. Today's 2.4 billion children will live with the consequences of climate change throughout their entire lives, despite having no role in creating the problem. Effective climate solutions must address this inequality by ensuring:
Climate finance flows to those who need it most. Wealthy countries that built their prosperity through fossil fuels have a responsibility to help less wealthy countries transition to clean energy and adapt to climate impacts. This includes fulfilling promised climate finance commitments and ensuring funds reach communities, not just governments.
The transition to clean energy is just and fair. Workers and communities dependent on fossil fuel industries need support to transition to new livelihoods. Energy costs mustn't burden low-income families. Clean energy and climate resilience must be accessible to all, not just the wealthy.
Children's voices shape climate decisions. Young people whose futures are most affected deserve a meaningful say in climate policy. Listening to children - particularly those already experiencing climate impacts - can guide more effective, equitable solutions.
According to our Generation Hope report, which gathered insights from over 54,500 children in 41 countries, 774 million children face both poverty and high climate risk. Climate solutions must prioritiae protecting these most vulnerable children while addressing the root causes of both climate change and inequality.
How Save the Children Protects Children and Empowers Youth Climate Action
At Save the Children, we understand that while global solutions to climate change are essential, children in vulnerable communities can't wait. They're living with climate impacts right now. That's why we're working alongside communities to implement practical adaptation solutions that protect children today while building long-term resilience.
Our approach recognises that climate change and inequality are deeply interconnected. According to our Generation Hope report, which gathered insights from over 54,500 children in 41 countries, 774 million children worldwide are both living in poverty and at high risk of climate-related disasters. These children have done the least to cause climate change but are suffering its worst impacts.
Our programmes integrate multiple solutions tailored to local needs. In drought-affected areas, we're introducing solar-powered water systems that provide reliable clean water even when rainfall fails. We're training families in climate-resilient agriculture - teaching techniques that help them continue growing food despite changing weather patterns. We provide cash support that gives families flexibility to meet immediate needs while investing in their futures.
When disasters strike, we're there with emergency response, but we also focus on helping communities prepare before disaster hits. This includes establishing early warning systems, training community disaster response teams and ensuring schools and healthcare facilities can withstand extreme weather.
We're also advocating for systemic change. We're calling on governments and businesses to rapidly phase out fossil fuels, invest seriously in renewable energy and ensure the transition to a green economy is fair - particularly for the communities and children most affected by climate impacts. We're amplifying children's voices in climate decision-making because they have the right to shape the future they'll inherit.
The solutions to climate change exist. From renewable energy transforming how we power our lives to community-led adaptation protecting the most vulnerable, we have the tools we need. What's required now is the collective will to implement these solutions at the speed and scale this crisis demands - before more childhoods are lost to a problem children didn't create.
Empowering Young People as Climate Leaders
We recognize that children and young people aren't just vulnerable to climate change - they're powerful agents of change who will inherit the planet we leave behind. Through our Young People Climate Fund, we're putting resources directly into the hands of youth-led organizations to drive climate action in their communities.
Launched in time for COP30 in Brazil, the Climate Fund provides grants of £1,000 to £3,500 to youth-centered organizations in London, Leeds and Birmingham. The fund aims to raise awareness of climate impacts on children and young people while providing opportunities for them to actively participate in designing and organizing positive climate activities.
A key feature of the fund is our Climate Youth Advisory Board - young people aged 12-18 who help shape the fund, review applications and decide which organisations receive grants. This ensures young people's voices are at the center of decision-making, not just beneficiaries but leaders and decision-makers.
In 2024, we funded diverse youth-led projects including a Climate Emergency Skate Jam that connected young skateboarders in London with peers in Bhutan (the world's only carbon-negative country) and India through shared experiences of climate change. Other funded activities included parliamentary receptions where young people presented to policymakers, music videos addressing climate issues, nature-themed workshops and community garden projects.
Projects funded through the Climate Fund take action to tackle the climate crisis, inspire young people to support climate resilience and teach everyday actions that create a healthy environment. From May to August 2026, up to 12 new youth-led projects will bring climate awareness and action to their communities.
When we invest in children and young people as climate leaders today, we're building a generation equipped with the knowledge, skills and agency to tackle tomorrow's challenges. Their creativity, passion and determination give us hope that a safer, more sustainable future is possible.
