Humans are changing the climate. The scientific evidence for this fact leaves little room for debate. But climate change is nevertheless an issue that generates significant academic and wider societal debate. We debate about the many aspects of climate science that are incomplete or uncertain, we debate about the many ways in which it is and could be affected by human dimensions, and we debate about the many ways in which humans could – or should – respond to it. Disagreements are an inevitable part of thinking about this wicked problem, and indeed should be encouraged in the interests of good science and scholarship and, ultimately, for the benefit of an open democracy. And yet, with perspectives on climate change becoming more polarised, debates can often descend into vilification, oversimplifications and division. There is a critical need for more constructive dialogues.