CLIMATE CHANGE: OUR WORLD IN CRISIS

WHY THE EARTH IS HEATING UP

• Carbon Dioxide levels have increased by 30% in the last 50 years

• Methane gas levels have risen

• Carbon dioxide, methane gas and black carbon acting like a blanket covering the athmosphere not allowing heat to escape

the planet: called the Greenhouse Effect.

CAUSES OF WARMING EARTH

• Rising temperature of the Atmosphere

• Air and oceans are warming up

• Sea levels are rising

• Ice in polar regions are melting

• Acidifications of Oceans

ACIDIFICATION OF OCEANS

• Oceans absorb carbon dioxide and make the oceans more acidic forming Carbonic Acid – H20 + CO2 = H2CO3

• Acidity has increased by 26% since pre-industrial times

ACIDIFICATION OF OCEANS

• Causes die back of coral depleting fish stocks

• People who rely on fishing will be affected

SEVERE WEATHER

• Increase in storms, hurricanes and wildfires• Resulting in more homeless people, destruction

of farmland and businesses and property

RISING TEMPERATURE

• Temperature has risen 0.9 degrees celcius in the last 100 years

• This causes droughts and destruction of farmland needed to feed people

• This will increase poverty amongst the poorer nations of the world

MELTING OF ICE SHEETS IN POLAR REGIONS

• Ocean levels have risen about 19cm between 1901 and 2012

• This causes flooding of low lying regions and can spread diseases such as cholera

• Can cause low lying areas to disappear such as some Pacific Islands resulting in homelessness for communities

• Can cause sea water contamination of fresh water aquifiers

WHAT CAN BE DONE

• Plan to recycle more

WHAT CAN BE DONE

• Use more Public Transport rather than driving your car which uses Fossil Fuels

WHAT CAN BE DONE

• Buy food locally

WHAT CAN BE DONE

• Use renewable energy

• Turn your thermostat down by 20 Celcius

ACT NOW!

• LOBBY YOUR POLITICIAN FOR ACTION ON GLOBAL WARMING

• TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS WHAT YOU CAN DO NOW

HELP STOP GLOBAL WARMING!