The climate battle.

Information provided by WWF.

Climate change

Global Temperatures Are Going Up

A-concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased; the Earth has warmed.

From 1906–2005, the average global temperature rose by 0.74C, with most of that warming occurring since 1970. By 2015, the average global temperature had warmed by over 1C since pre-industrial times. Sixteen of the 17 warmest years on record have been in the 21st century.

This warming isn’t the same everywhere. Some areas with crucial ecological importance — like around the poles — are warming at two or three times the global average.

This climate change is because of human activity

The main causes of climate change are:

o Humanity’s increased use of fossil fuels — such as coal, oil and gas to generate electricity, run cars and other forms of transport, and power manufacturing and industry.

o Deforestation — because living trees absorb and store carbon dioxide.

o Increasingly intensive agriculture — which emits greenhouse gases like methane and nitrous oxide.

Today's industrialized counties have built their economies on burning fossil fuels to provide; electricity, transport, and to develop industries. Developing countries are now beginning to do the same.

The argument is over. Anyone that doesn’t believe that climate change is happening doesn’t believe in science. — Leonardo DiCaprio

We don’t know where the tipping points are.

The thing is, temperature rise won’t be linear. Part of what makes climate change so urgent is that temperatures will continue to increase long after greenhouse gas emissions are curbed.

Scientists believe the planet may reach one or more ‘tipping points, where changes will become irreversible or positive feedback loops will be triggered. One example is the melting of ice sheets, which will drastically affect both sea levels and the planet’s entire climate system.

The science is clear

Climate scientists agree that humanity is responsible for the vast majority of global warming.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nations Environment Program’s climate body, has said for over a decade that there is ‘unequivocal’ evidence that the planet is warming and that the temperature increase is ‘very likely’ due to human-made greenhouse gas emissions.

The IPCC does not carry out the research itself but bases its assessment on peer-reviewed and published scientific/technical literature.

The Panel is made up of 2500+ scientific expert reviewers, 800+ contributing authors, and 450+ lead authors from 130+ countries.

Over 97% of peer-reviewed journal articles on climate science agree with the scientific consensus around climate change.

The good news & The solutions

Real, technically feasible, affordable alternatives to fossil fuels exist now. To keep warming below 1.5˚C, we need to make the switch from fossil fuels to 100% renewable energy and bring our carbon pollution down to net-zero by 2050. Most of the technology needed for this low-carbon future already exists now.

Thing is, this transition won’t just stop climate change. Switching from dirty fossil fuels to clean renewable energy will be better for people, communities, and businesses all over the world.

And the change is already underway. Renewable energy technologies like wind and solar are getting cheaper and cheaper, and rolling out worldwide faster and faster.

We can do this

· meeting humanity’s energy needs from sustainable sources (such as solar, wind, geothermal, and biofuels) not fossil fuels

· using energy efficiently

· stopping carbon dioxide emissions from deforestation

· living within the planet’s means

What is needed is action to encourage the adoption of this technology by governments, industries and businesses, other organizations, and individuals.

The world is acting now

The world's governments agreed on a new, global climate deal: the Paris Agreement

At the United Nations climate talks in Paris in December 2015, governments acknowledged the growing threat of climate change and agreed to work towards keeping warming to 1.5C.

Almost every country in the world has taken on emissions reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. The global shift to a clean energy future has begun.

But the jobs are not done yet. If every country does only what it has pledged to date, we are on track for between 2.7C and 3.5C of warming. If our governments don’t step it up, we’ll lose the chance to limit warming to 2C let alone 1.5C by the mid 2030s.

Fortunately, the Paris Agreement includes a five-yearly review process.