The big issue is climate change. A very real phenomenon, explained by a vast portfolio of studies and highlighted through our stories of a changing world.
So here are the things we know:
-
- The greenhouse effect, whereby the planet is warmed by the sun and atmospheric gases, has been known since 1824 and was reliably tested by scientists in 1858, showing the more greenhouse gases there are, the hotter the planet will be. Carbon dioxide is the most abundant greenhouse gas.
In 1832, the Earth's atmosphere contained 284 parts per million of carbon dioxide, according to the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Centre (data set found here). In February 2010, the atmosphere contained 389.91 parts per million, according to the National Oceanic and Atomspheric Administration.
These carbon emissions are accelerating at an unanticipated speed. According to the Global Carbon Project, carbon emissions have grown four times faster since the year 2000.
Greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere in two main ways, through fossil fuels, such as oil, gas or coal, and deforestation. Fossil fuels and forests lock carbon underground or in tree roots and trunks. When we burn them or cut them down, we are releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and adding to the carbon cycle.
The most recent assessment from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says there is a 90% chance mankind is responsible for our changing climate. This has been backed by scientists throughout the world. The National Wildlife Federation lists the huge number of international science acadamies that have confirmed their acceptance of manmade climate change.
Follow this link to watch this introductory video on the topic of climate change, provided for teachers but useful to us all!
So what's the big deal?
The more greenhouse gases warm the planet, the more problems they create.
As the Arctic and Antarctic melt, they lose their capacity to reflect heat away from the Earth, so instead the ground or sea absorbs the heat, speeding the melting ice and adding to the general warming trend. 
This interesting article on ocean acidificationexplains how carbon dioxide that seeps into the oceans can also acidify the water, damaging organisms and life under the sea.
As the planet warms up and the global climate changes, we can expect more extreme and unusual weather events in localised areas. The tales of unexpected droughts and flooding in our stories is a key example of this.
Along with the immediate human cost of extreme weather, we begin to lose track of the natural cycles and patterns we rely on to plan and plant crops, feed cattle, collect water and grow food.
The UK Government has launched an interactive Google Earth map 'layer' showing what could happen to the world should average global temperatures rise by 4 degrees Celsius. The map allows users to interact with the science behind its development, and also includes short videos of scientists explaining their research.
What can we do about it?
All the information sources above agree that a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions would be beneficial to earth and all the people who live on it. There are a number of ways we can set about doing this, through reducing our car use, changing the way we eat or just being more thoughtful about the way we move through life.
Scientists, politicians, environmentalists, me and you - we are all entitled to ask questions, learn more and take action. We don't have to wait for the world's governments to tackle the problem.
As individuals we can decide for ourselves what role to play. We can all take action and start reducing our carbon dioxide emissions today. Want to know what you can do? Start here.
Here is a link to an interesting animated video 'Coalition of the Willing' designed by a network of 24 artists from around the world. The short film uses the Internet technologies to inspire people to take actions against climate change. Watch this!
What is Climate Change
Climate change is here, now and real. Climate is not the same as weather – climate is long-term whereas weather is short-term – today is sunny: tomorrow cloudy.
Fact - Earth's climate has always changed. 10,000 years ago, Britain was covered in ice, but the climate changed and brought a natural end to the ice age.
Fact – Earth is heating up.
Fact - The concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, nitrous oxide are at their highest now then ever during the last 420,000 years.*
Understood – The majority of scientists agree that the earth's atmospheric conditions are changing faster now as a result of greenhouse gases.
Fact - Greenhouse gases, both man-made and natural, affect the climate and are released into the atmosphere through several ways:
-
Burning fossil fuels - oil, coal, gas
-
Industrial agriculture – carbon based pesticides, fertilisers & tractor fuel
-
Deforestation – burning trees releases huge amounts of CO2 into the air
- burning trees reduces photosynthesis (transforming CO2 & sunlight into energy/food)
The more greenhouse gases, the greater the impact on the climate, which in turn, affects the weather. Humans rely on natural weather patterns to plan and plant crops, feed cattle, collect water and grow food, therefore any disturbance to global climate and weather patterns intrinsically effects our ability to eat and drink.
Reaction - As earth adapts to the increasing volume of greenhouse gases, parts of the planet react on a grand scale. For example, the Arctic and Antarctic are slowly melting and losing their capacity to reflect heat. The less snow and ice, the less heat reflection, the less heat reflection, the bigger the melt, the bigger the melt, the less snow and ice, and on it goes until sea levels have risen and countries are flooded.
Accepted – A reduction in greenhouse gases and CO2 emissions would be beneficial to earth and her people. Scientists, politicians, environmentalists, me and you - we are all entitled to ask questions, learn more and take action.
Agreed – If earth can absorb and store CO2, we can reduce the amount pumped into the atmosphere. One possible answer lies in biological sequestration.
What is biological sequestration? - It is the removal of CO2 from the atmosphere. CO2 is absorbed by plants and micro-organisms (such as stromatolites – the first carbon-absorbing-oxygen-producing organisms on earth) and then stored in soils and vegetation biomass.
Benefits could be: low-cost vast-quantity storage; improved soils, water resources and biodiversity; rural farming income; sustainable forestry industry.
However the world's governments decide to tackle the problem of global warming, we, as individual can decide for ourselves how to play our role. We can take action and reduce our CO2 emissions today. (link to what you can do)
