Throughout history, Earth's temperature has risen and fallen at various cycles, creating extreme weather events, such as ice ages. However, in more recent times, human activity has greatly accelerated and intensified these cycles, leading to extreme climate change. This is the history of climate change science, its challenges and triumphs, and its impact on the future of our planet.

Introduction -- Studying the climate, from the ice age to the greenhouse -- The twenty-first century : from measurements to predictions -- The world reacts -- Problems facing climate change action today -- It's late, but not too late.