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Basic Science Narrative: "Houston, We Have a Problem"

The classic scientific narrative for explaining climate goes like this

There is now a broad scientific consensus on the following points, which were arrived over 70 years of research.
Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat.
The concentration of greenhouse gases, notably CO2, have been rising since the mid-1800s, when the industrial revolution began in earnest.
In the 20th Century average temperature on earth increased. Much more warming is expected this century.
The rise in temperature is due to the increase in CO2; all other possible explanations have been studied intensively and found to be inadequate to explain the phenomena.
Human activity is the major source of the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
- Several lines of empirical research all point toward this.
If we continue on this path, the earth will warm 5-7 degrees C by 2100, which will have many severe impacts such as
- more extreme weather
- drought and flooding, causing agricultural failures
- sea level rise and coastal inundation
- ocean acidification
- mass extinctions
Some of warming is now inevitable, but prompt action can avert far more severe impacts.
- the longer we wait, the more severe the consequences
Most proposed solutions include some combination of
- mitigation of greenhouse gas emisions
  - rapid deployment of existing technologies for energy efficiency, renewable energy,
  - development of new technologies, and
- adaptation to minimize the damage
Time is of the essence; urgent action is needed.

Examples of this narrative: