The Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has reiterated with higher confidence levels, a substantial amount of the knowledge that existed earlier on various aspects of climate change, and has also advanced our understanding in the field beyond what was known earlier. It is a subject of some concern that despite the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) having come into existence in 1992, emissions of greenhouse gases continue to grow rapidly. In fact, the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in 2010 amounted to 49 GtCO₂eq. This figure was reached with an increase of 10 GtCO₂eq during the period 2000–10. At the same time, the impacts of climate change are becoming progressively more serious. There are, therefore, reasons for concern on a global basis from the fact that climate change will pose major risks to human life, the earth’s ecosystems and all forms of life on planet earth.

Human influence on the climate system is clear, and it is extremely likely that this has been the dominant cause of the observed warming since the mid-20th century. Continued emissions of greenhouse gases will cause further warming and changes in all components of the climate system. Limiting climate change will require substantial and sustained reductions of GHG emissions. Without additional efforts to reduce GHG emissions beyond those in place today, emissions growth is expected to persist, driven by growth in global population and economic activities. Increasing magnitudes of warming increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts. Most aspects of climate change will persist for many centuries even if emissions of CO₂ are stopped. This represents a substantial multi-century climate change commitment created by past, present and future emissions of CO₂, if unmitigated.

In recent decades, changes in climate have caused impacts on natural and human systems on all continents and across the oceans.  People who are socially, economically, culturally, politically, institutionally, or otherwise marginalized are especially vulnerable to climate change. Delaying mitigation efforts beyond those in place today through 2030 is estimated to substantially increase the difficulty of the transition to low longer-term emissions levels and narrow the range of options consistent with maintaining temperature change below 2 °C relative to pre-industrial levels. Global economic impacts from climate change are difficult to estimate.  There are large differences between and within countries. Aggregate economic damages accelerate with increasing temperature.

Efficiency enhancements and behavioural changes, in order to reduce energy demand compared to baseline scenarios without compromising development, are key mitigation strategies. Behaviour, lifestyle, and culture have a considerable influence on energy use and associated emissions, with high mitigation potential in some sectors, such as changes in consumption patterns (e. g., mobility demand and mode, energy use in households, choice of longer-lasting products) and dietary change and reduction in food wastes. Hence, any agreement under the UNFCCC would need to stimulate personal choices and actions being exercised by individuals and all entities. This is where awareness of the findings of the AR5 across the globe acquires enhanced significance.