Climate change

Q. What is Climate Change?

Ans. Climate change is a long-term shift in the statistics of the weather (including its
averages). For example, it could show up as a change in climate normals (expected
average values for temperature and precipitation) for a given place and time of
year, from one decade to the next. We know that the global climate is currently
changing. The last decade of the 20th Century and the beginning of the 21st have
been the warmest period in the entire global instrumental temperature record,
starting in the mid-19th century.
Q. Why is the Climate Changing?
Ans. Natural variability Climate change is a normal part of the Earths natural
variability, which is related to interactions among the atmosphere, ocean, and land,
as well as changes in the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth. The geologic
record includes significant evidence for large-scale climate changes in Earths past.
Human-induced change Greenhouse Gases Certain naturally occurring gases, such
as carbon dioxide (CO2 ) and water vapor (H2 O), trap heat in the atmosphere
causing a greenhouse effect. Burning of fossil fuels, like oil, coal, and natural gas is
adding CO2 to the atmosphere. The current level is the highest in the past 650,000
years. The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change concludes, that most of the observed increase in the globally averaged
temperature since the mid-20th century is very likely due to the observed increase
in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.

Q. What is being done to Study the Effects of Climate Change?

Ans. There are numerous potential effects of climate change. Extensive research is
being done around the world a good deal within NOAA to determine the extent to
which climate change is occurring, how much of it is being caused by anthropogenic
(manmade) forces, and its potential impacts. In some of these areas, there is not a
consensus among scientists and in fact, there are often conflicting points-of-view
and studies. However, with further research, no doubt many questions regarding
impacts will be resolved in the future. Potential impacts most studied by researchers
include the effects on sea level, drought, local weather, and hurricanes. Most of our
current knowledge of global change comes from General Circulation Models (GCMs).
At present, GCMs have the ability to provide us with a mean annual temperature for
the planet that is reliable. Regional and local temperature and precipitation
information from GCMs is, at present, unreliable. Much of the global change
research effort is focused on improving these models.

Q. When you change the climate you change everything.

Ans. The Earths average temperature has warmed by about 0.76C over the past 100
years, with most of this warming occurring in the past 20 years.
This temperature rise may appear small, but small rises in temperature translate into big
changes for the worlds climate. This is because the amount of extra energy needed to
increase the worlds temperature, even by a little, is vast. This extra energy is like forcefeeding the global climate system.

Q. Impacts of global warming the facts

Ans. Global warming is melting glaciers in every part of the world, putting millions of
people at risk from floods, droughts and shortages of drinking water
Arctic sea ice reached its third lowest recorded level during the melt season of 2010.
The lowest level since satellite measurements began in 1979 was in 2007
Scotlands hottest year on record in 2003 killed hundreds of adult salmon as
rivers became too warm for them to extract enough oxygen from the water
Summer temperatures in European capitals have increased by up to 2C over the
past 30 years, a WWF report showed
Rising sea levels threaten entire nations on low-lying islands in the Pacific and Indian
oceans. Read Climate Witness stories about the impact of rising sea levels in
the South Pacific and India.

Q. How does Climate Change affect me?

Ans. Global warming will directly impact human health and livelihoods.
Drought, heatwaves, sea level rises, storms and floods will cause economic damage
to infrastructure, agriculture and tourism.
Climate change will increase the cost of living and compromise human health. Cities
like Athens, Chicago, Adelaide, Milan, New Delhi and Paris have sweltered under
heatwaves.
The 2003 summer heatwave in Europe killed 14,800 people in France alone.
Q. What does a 0.76C temperature rise mean?

Ans. More hot days

More severe storms, floods, droughts and fire
Higher sea levels
This small temperature rise could threaten human health, lives, industries and jobs. Global
warming threatens agricultural production, fresh water supplies and the survival of native
species and ecosystems.

This small temperature rise also means we can expect:

More hurricanes and cyclones in the Caribbean, the United States and Burma
More extensive droughts in eastern Africa, Australia, southern Europe and parts of
China and India
More devastating floods like those in Pakistan (in 2010), Brazil and Australia (in
2011), and other parts of the world
The impacts of a warming world are concerning enough when considered one by one, but
the view worsens when you consider them collectively.
Q.Climate change is the worlds greatest threat?
Global warming has emerged as the single greatest threat to Australias biodiversity.
Global warming has emerged as the single greatest threat of climate change.Scientists
predict that a 1.5C global temperature rise may see 25% of the Earths animals and plants
disappear; a 3C rise may see 30% disappear.

The Great Barrier Reef will also be significantly affected by climate change, with scientists
predicting that a 1.5C temperature rise will result in 97% of the Great Barrier Reef affected
by bleaching. For more information, go to impacts of global warming and climate change
nature at risk.

Q.Solutions to climate change and What WWF

is doing?
Ans. WWF is campaigning in Australia and internationally for action to reduce carbon
pollution that contributes to global warming, climate change and ocean acidification.
As an exceptionally large polluter, Australia has a key role to play globally. We are the
highest per capita greenhouse gas polluters in the OECD1and the 15th highest polluting
country.

Countries like China, Germany, the UK and the US are acting to reduce their pollution.
Germany has made reductions of 21% and the UK has reduced its pollution by 18%. China
has now become the worlds largest investor in clean energy.
However, Australia is lagging behind the international community. We have delayed
significant investment in renewable energies and our pollution levels continue to rise.
Further delays will make the transition to a low polluting economy increasingly expensive
and difficult, with much greater risk of failure.
To avoid dangerous global warming, WWF is campaigning strongly for:

Q. Working with business to tackle climate change

Ans. WWF-Australia is convinced that working with the business community is an effective
way to find sustainable solutions to tackle global warming and subsequent climate change.
WWFs collaboration with businesses is constructive and solutions-oriented. The benefits
can be mutual when we combine our influence, expertise and knowledge to achieve
important environmental and financial outcomes.
Climate Savers
Climate Savers are cutting-edge partnerships between WWF and businesses aimed at
delivering new and additional reductions in CO2 emissions. They provide attractive solutions
to climate change.
Climate Friendly
In 2007, WWF-Australia formed a partnership with carbon neutral and green power service
provider Climate Friendly. This partnership encourages individuals and businesses to
become climate neutral.
Go to their website to become climate neutral with Climate Friendly.