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Questions and answers on climate change
Photo by David Whittaker.
1. What is climate change?
Climate change refers to the moving away from a stable climate as a result of global warming (rising temperatures). Examples of these weather changes are hotter air and sea temperatures, severe droughts and violent storms.
2. What has caused this present climate change?
It is being caused mostly by increased greenhouse gases trapping more heat in the earth’s atmosphere. Much of the carbon dioxide emissions come from burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas), from the manufacturing of cement, deforestation and from hot, bare soil. Practically all human activities increase the emissions from nearly everything we use and buy.
3. What is going to happen in our Great Lakes Region and on a global scale?
The United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Control (IPCC) released the most comprehensive report yet on February 3, 2007. It stated: “we are going to face a more uncertain future with rising temperature setting off severe storms, drought and rising sea levels.” The effects of climate change on our coastal location could be erosion and flooding of fragile land mass, more violent storms, decline of natural ecosystems, less reliable water and food production, and more mosquito-borne diseases and ocean stingers.
4. When is this supposed to happen?
The effects of climate change are already visible. In the media we have all seen for ourselves the shrinking borders of the Arctic and Antarctic ice, mild winters melting snow peaks in Northern Europe, severe droughts in Africa, and Hurricane Katrina in the USA. In Australia we have had ongoing droughts and water shortages in most states, recent flooding on the east coast, more severe bushfires in NSW and Victoria, and severe cyclones in Queensland.
The IPCC states carbon levels must be dramatically reduced by 2020 to avoid devastating climate change. Leading world climate change economist, Sir Nicholas Stern, proposed that Australia should cut emissions up to 30 per cent within the next 13 years, and 90 per cent by 2050. The Stern Report states: “The costs of acting worldwide to combat climate change are much less than the cost of inaction.”
2020 is fast approaching and some changes will need time to implement. Common sense tells us it is better to make good changes and decisions right now to ensure our children and future generations have the best opportunity to live harmoniously, with a stable climate and intact ecosystems to support them.
5. Why are changes in just one degree of global temperature so critical?
There is a consensus that we will experience a rise of between 1.1 degrees Celsius and as much as 6.4 degrees Celsius, with the best estimate of 3 degrees by 2100 (IPCC). A rise of just 1.1 degrees means significant changes in our ecosystems such as an increase in droughts and less snow coverage. A rise of just 2 degrees means a severe impact on our ecosystems that will effect our food production, water supplies and cause severe and irreversible climate responses.
6. What is the rest of the world doing about climate change?
Many countries are taking positive action to reduce their carbon emissions. The United Kingdom has stated it will cut emissions by 60 per cent by 2050, and has pledged grants and subsidies to help families improve their home heating, insulation, and reduce the cost of efficient light bulbs, particularly for lower income families. Sweden’s emissions have long been falling, and last year the government announced its own ambitious national goal: to end oil dependency by 2020. With the strictest sustainable regulations in the world, Germany now holds the most sustainable technology patents and is heavily supplementing solar power through purchasing energy from homes. California leads the rest of the USA with building, vehicle and renewable energy targets. Denmark has approximately 20 per cent wind generated power.
7. What can we do about climate change in Australia and the Great Lakes region?
Plenty! There are many things businesses and politicians can do right now to start making a real difference to our carbon emission levels. See our section called Top 10 Ways To Reduce the Effects of Climate Change for a start. Then, take the time to look through all the other sections in our website.
There are many positive actions taking place right now and we have endeavoured to provide links to some of the best organisations leading the charge in Ways To Act Locally and Think Globally.
Photo by David Whittaker.
Find out more
Websites
www.greenhouse.gov.au/science
– Here you can download the following publications: Climate
Change Science – Questions Answered and Stronger Evidence
but New Challenges: Climate Change Science 2001–2005.
www.ipcc.ch/ –
Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Control
www.acfonline.org.au
– Australian Conservation Foundation, 1800 223 669
www.nccnsw.org.au
– Nature Conservation Council of NSW
www.tec.org.au
– Total Environment Centre
www.greenpeace.org.au
– Greenpeace
www.wilderness.org.au
– The Wilderness Society, 1800 030 641
www.businessroundtable.com.au
– Australian Business Roundtable on Climate Change
Books
The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact Of Climate Change
by Tim Flannery
Greenhouse Solutions With Sustainable Energy by Mark Diesendorf
Boiling Point by Ros Gelspan
Heat – How to Stop The Planet Burning by George Monbiot
How Many Light Bulbs Does It Take To Change a Planet by
Tony Juniper
An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency of Global Warming
and What We Can Do About It by Al Gore
Climate Change: An Australian Guide to the Science and Potential
Impacts by A. Barrie Pittock
Living in the Hothouse: How Global Warming Affects Australia
by Ian Lowe
Scorcher by Clive Hamilton
Eva McBride
Resident of Forster
"As a member of the older generation I am very pleased to see the younger folks so keen to improve on the environment so that the present and future generations are going to benefit from their efforts. I hope the rest of the community follows suit."