As fires tear through California and Trump sets back efforts to curb the rise of global temperatures, what can individuals do to make a difference?

2024 was the hottest year on record. Average global temperatures rose to 1.6C above preindustrial levels, according to data from the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) – a rise that led to extreme weather events and “misery to millions of people”, as one of the group’s experts told the Guardian.

Less than a month into the new year, fires have torn through huge swaths of Los Angeles, upending the lives of thousands. Donald Trump, a climate denier, is pulling the country out of international climate agreements and setting back efforts to curb the rise of average global temperatures.