Climate Change Awareness What it is and what needs to be done

Mark CallaghanV00712124

Climate Change

• Change in the earth’s climate causing an increase in temperature known as “Global Warming”

• Direct cause from Human Activity

– Global temperature has risen 1 degree Celsius over the past 130 years and is on a steep incline unless we take immediate actions to reduce our C02 emissions

Why is C02 relevant?

• Light coloured surfaces such as clouds, ice caps and desert sands reflect 50% of sunrays away from earth while 50% warm the earth

• As reflected long wave radiation exits earth some are captured by C02 which traps the energy, heating the earth

• More C02 results in more sunrays trapped…causing the earth to become warmer

• Fossil fuel is the major contributor of C02

– 1/5 emissions from the manufacturing of products

– 2/5 emissions from residential and commercial electricity production

– 1/5 emissions from deforestation

– 1/5 emissions from transportation

• Humans have contributed 29 BILLION tonnesof C02 from fossil fuels and land use

• We have upset the natural balance and we continue to unnaturally burn fossil fuels

• Our contribution of C02 emissions have put our existence and our earth at a severe risk

Our impact on earth (CO2)“Keeling Curve”

Climate change impacts

• Loss of Biodiversity- forests, plants and animals

• Alpine Glaciers and ice sheets shrinking and retreating at an extreme pace

• Arctic Ocean’s ice decreasing 10% per decade• Ocean increasing in temperature• Global sea level rise

– By 2100, 1 meter expected rise displacing millions of people

• Unexpected environment conditions– Extreme wildfires, flooding, heavy stream bank scouring

from extreme rainfall, food and water shortages

Expect these to be frequent

Our shrinking forests

• Our climate conditions make it easier for the destructive pine beetle to survive

And food supply…

If you didn’t know that, now you do!

• As much as you don’t want to believe, we have to face the truth

• We are headed towards an irreversible and fatal path

If Climate Change is SO important, what has the Canadian Government done?

• The Canadian Climate change has been an utter FAILURE!

• Our government has put our economy ahead of our future

• Are we not able to establish both?

Kyoto Protocol

• The goal of the protocol is to stabilize Green House Gas emissions to halt a destructive path for humans and our climate

• In 1997, Canadian target set out to the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change to reduce Green House Gas emissions to 6% below 1990 levels by 2012

Canadian Climate Change Failure

• Canada wasn’t able to reduce their emissions by 6%, in fact, emissions increased by 27% between 1990-2012

• Canadian Federal and Provincial Government have abandoned the reduction goal, without withdrawing from the Kyoto Accord

• Canada has fallen to pieces with uncoordinated different objectives, instruments and programs

• Our government is failing our planet!

• Where is our leader for Climate Change Policy– Absent

• Alberta, the veto state– Lobbied against climate change policy

– Conservative government obeys due to their huge economic contribution

– Green initiatives have an extremely hard time becoming a policy due to Alberta’s veto power

• The government’s system is weak and unless the people of Canada do something, we can only blame ourselves

How are we suppose to change the system?

Background Conditions for changing Policy

• Most powerful forces for significant change in policy

• 5 exogenous conditions• 1) Public Opinion• 2) Elections• 3) Economic Conditions• 4) Macro Political system• 5) Other policy sectors

• Without driving forces, nothing will change!

Public Opinion

• People around the world have the capacity to change the way we live

• Boycotts, petitions, protests and elections are simple ways to spread public opinion to our government

• In the late 1990s, Green Peace International targeted industrial consumers of BC forest products and convinced them to find alternative suppliers until Forest practices were more ethical– It was a success and BC forest industry were forced to

change their ways

What is causing us not to change?

• Where we live…far distances, cold winters– Forced to drive, crank the heat for your home

• Capitalism…can’t pass up on making money– Hard to support green plans if your job is a negative force

on climate change policy

• Infrastructure problems…biking across a bridge– Doesn’t make sense to walk/bike in some areas

• Legislation cant get passed for a change in policy– Not enough public support

• New/ethical technology is expensive– Hybrid/electrical cars are far more expensive

Business practices that need to commence now!

• Trading using less/zero fossil fuels

• Factories use more ecological production practices

• Local suppliers

• Green Initiatives

– Agriculture industry to capture methane gas, improve fertilizers, expand research in biomass and city farms

Changing our food habits

• Eating less red meat will reduce our carbon foot print…how?

• Cattle and sheep release methane gas from being grain fed

• Methane is responsible for trapping heat in our atmosphere warming our planet

• Livestock sector is responsible for massive amounts of land degradation, water usage, air pollution and loss of Biodiversity

• With more ecological farming practices such as feeding our animals grass instead of grain reduces our impact on climate change

• Stay away from purchasing foods from places that feed their animals grains or unethical practices

• Remember…Public opinion helps change policies around the world!

All hope is NOT lost• Mitigation: The action of reducing the

severity, seriousness, or painfulness of something

• Adaptation: adjusting to different conditions in order to survive

What are you doing to mitigate our carbon footprint?

• Things to keep in mind:– Walk, bike and use public transit more

– Turn off the lights when you aren't using them

– Buy local and organic foods

– Eat less red meat

– Use energy efficient instruments like solar panels

– Recycle

– Support green movements

– Tell the government what is important to you!

Adapt

• We will have to find ways to adapt to our changing climate

• Prepare ourselves before disasters occur

– Flooding, lack of food/water, pine beetle and many more

• We need to plan for our future to make sure we don’t become extinct like the Neanderthals or some unfortunate animals

Remember…People drive results

• Educate yourself with a Climate Change class and become well aware of our future

• Get out and support green initiatives

• Reduce your carbon foot print!