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We’re just a few hours from Donald Trump being inaugurated as the president of the United States, and we’re signing off from our 24-hour Global Warning live blog: a marathon effort from our Guardian offices in London, New York and Sydney, as well as our correspondents dotted around the globe.

What we’ve seen, as we’ve travelled around the world, is that regardless of what climate deniers (yes, deniers) like Trump may say about the science, the stark reality is that it is happening now.

Both scientists and people at the front lines of climate change – in low-lying Pacific islands where freshwater supplies are being contaminated by salt; in poor farming Cambodian communities, where “life is a high-wire act with no safety net” – agree: there is no ambiguity.

We are no longer fighting to stop climate change, but fighting to stop a runaway catastrophe.

Governments must step up and take action. But in the meantime, we must all do what we can. We’ve heard people fighting climate change all around the world give their advice for what individuals can do, and most of them said similar things: become active on the issue, make your views known to politicians, and become a climate voter.

Exactly what the Trump administration means for the world is not yet clear, but even if the Paris Agreement is weakened – even if the work is undone – not all hope is lost. There are signs that China might take a lead on climate change action, and investment in renewable energy around the globe seems unstoppable now.



Thank you for joining us in our Global Warning project, and particularly those of you who have contributed to it in the comments or on social media. We’ve been struck by the thoughtfulness and nuance of your discussion; on the whole, it’s hard not to feel a little more optimistic.