The science is clear. Climate change is real. Climate change is happening now. Climate change requires immediate and ambitious action to prevent the worst effects it can have on people and wildlife all over the world.
We know that the planet has warmed by an average of nearly 1°C in the past century. If we are to prevent the worst effects of climate change, there is global agreement that temperature rises need to be kept well below 2°C from the pre-industrial era, with an ambition to keep it below 1.5°C. Currently, however, assessments suggest that we are currently on course for temperature rises of up to as much as 4°C or higher.
We have recently seen a number of unwanted developments:
- 16 of the 17 warmest years on record have occurred since 2001, with 2016 being the warmest yet.
- The current levels of atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases are unprecedented in the last 800,000 years.
- And recently, scientists have declared a new geological time period: the Anthropocene, in which human activity is said to be the dominant influence on the environment, climate, and ecology the earth.
As the planet continues to warm, climate patterns change. Extreme and unpredictable weather will become more common across the world as climate patterns change, with some places being hotter, some places being wetter, and some places being drier. These changes can have (and are already having) drastic impacts on all life on Earth.
A rise of just 2°c would mean:
- Severe storms and floods in many countries, particularly impacting coastal areas, with droughts also affecting many parts of the world
- Seas become more acidic, coral and krill die, food chains are destroyed
- Little or no Arctic sea ice in summer – which not only means less habitat for polar bears, but also means the global climate warms faster, as there is less polar ice to reflect sunlight
Beyond 2°c:
- Rainforests dying
- Unthinkable loss of ancient ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica, causing dramatic sea level rises
- Mass displacement of people and widespread species loss and extinction
That’s why we must act now.
Some people might try to tell you that global warming is natural, or that the Earth is actually cooling. Or they might suggest there’s nothing we can do. But here’s what the science tells us:
TEMPERATURES ARE RISING FASTER THAN EVER
Yes, the Earth’s climate has always changed, with temperatures rising and falling over thousands of years. But now, it’s happening now at a far faster rate than ever before, giving people and wildlife very little time to react and adapt.
GLOBAL WARMING IS MAN-MADE
There is overwhelming evidence (97% scientific consensus) that global warming is mostly man-made – largely down to burning fossil fuels and deforestation on a mass-scale. This is not a natural process, no matter how much climate change deniers may claim it is.
The good news? We can do something about it. But we have to do it together, and we have to do it now.
Source: WWF
Climate change and rising sea levels mean the island nation of Kiribati in the South Pacific is at risk of disappearing into the sea.
But the island’s inhabitants aren’t giving up. They are doing what they can to save their island from inundation. Can COP23 help make a difference?
UN estimates indicate that Kiribati could disappear in just 30 or 40 years. That’s because the average elevation is less than two meters above sea level. And some of the knock-on effects of climate change have made the situation more difficult.
Kiribati can hardly be surpassed in terms of charm and natural beauty. There are 33 atolls and one reef island – spread out over an area of 3.5 million square kilometers. All have white, sandy beaches and blue lagoons. Kiribati is the world’s largest state that consists exclusively of atolls.
A local resident named Kaboua points to the empty, barren land around him and says, “There used to be a large village here with 70 families.” But these days, this land is only accessible at low tide. At high tide, it’s all under water. Kaboua says that sea levels are rising all the time, and swallowing up the land.
That’s why many people here build walls made of stone and driftwood, or sand or rubbish. But these barriers won’t stand up to the increasing number of storm surges. Others are trying to protect against coastal erosion by planting mangrove shrubs or small trees.
But another local resident, Vasiti Tebamare, remains optimistic. She works for KiriCAN, an environmental organization. Vasiti says: “The industrialized countries — the United States, China, and Europe — use fossil fuels for their own ends. But what about us?” Kiribati’s government has even bought land on an island in Fiji, so it can evacuate its people in an emergency. But Vasiti and most of the other residents don’t want to leave.
How Earth Would Look If All The Ice Melted
OCEANIX the floating city for 10,000 people. This concept could be the city of the future
El Amazonas bajo llamas y nadie hace nada – Pray for Amazonia
Environmental Crimes – ESA Business Applications
¿QUE PUEDO DECIR? ,hermosa imagen de lo que debemos hacer con la MADRE TIERRA, protegerla.
🌳 Amazonia forever 🌳 ❤️❤️❤️ 🌳 Amazonia por siempre 🌳 ❤️❤️❤️
For years, Antonio Vicente begged his neighbors to listen to his warning. The water in Pouso do Rochedo, Brazil, was going to disappear and, with it, so would the life in this piece of the rainforest. And he was right. But now, after dedicating the last 40 years to reforesting his land, the water is coming back…and it is all thanks to him.
Salvemos la Amazonia! SAVE THE AMAZON RAINFOREST! Défendre la forêt amazonienne!
Turning the tide on climate change – Enel Open Innovability
Save the Planet Earth! Innovations & Future Technology
The OCEARCH an collaborative, inclusive and open-sourced project to geared to helping scientists collect previously unattainable data on animal movements from deep in the world’s oceans.
Track sharks, whales, turtles, seals, dolphins, alligators
¡Muchas gracias a todos y respeto!
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