FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions
The Earth's Climate
What is global warming?Global warming is one of the most serious challenges facing us today. The temperature of the earth’s surface is rising and there is evidence to suggest that this is occurring because of human activities. The burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas), plus agricultural practices and land clearing is altering the chemical composition of our atmosphere, creating a build-up of greenhouse gases that are blanketing the earth and trapping in heat.
What is climate change?The earth’s temperature has risen between 0.6 -1 degrees in the last century. This may not seem much, but this increase has affected our weather system, our ecosystems and in turn us. The 20th century's 10 warmest years all occurred after 1985. This has resulted in decreases in snow cover in the northern hemisphere and floating ice in the Arctic Ocean. It has caused heat waves and is implicated in an increase in catastrophic weather events like hurricanes. Sea level has risen globally 10 to 20 cm over the past century and rainfall has increased worldwide by about one percent. Some plants or animals have changed the location or the timing of their seasonal activities. Scientists now all agree that the average global surface temperature will continue rising, causing escalations in these phenomena.
What are greenhouse gases?Greenhouse gases occur naturally in the earth's atmosphere. They act like a blanket that keeps the sun's warmth inside our atmosphere; in just the same way that glass keeps a greenhouse warm. As a result, they maintain the earth’s temperature at a level that supports life. However when human activities cause an increase in these gases they keep too much heat in, causing the earth's temperature to rise in an enhanced greenhouse effect. The greenhouse gasses that humans generate the most are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide but our greenhouse gas emissions also include various artificial chemicals such as halocarbons. Today some of our normal everyday activities, like driving cars and electricity use, are responsible for these elevated greenhouse gas emissions.
Visualise your greenhouse gas emissions
What is the Kyoto Protocol?The Kyoto Protocol is a United Nations agreement that sets international standards to combat Climate Change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The Kyoto agreement is made under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The countries that ratify this treaty commit to reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide and the five other greenhouse gasses or to engage in emissions trading if they maintain or increase emissions of these gases. Emissions trading is where ecnomic incentives are provided to achieve reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. As of August 2006 the Kyoto Protocol included more than 165 countries globally and it represents 61.6% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Notably, Australia and the United States are the only two industrialised countries that have not ratified the Kyoto Protocol.
What is Green Electricity?Most of our electricity comes from burning coal and other fossil fuels. In contrast, Green Electricity is obtained from renewable sources such as the sun, the wind or hydro power. Generally, Green Electricity comes from sources that cause fewer emissions, are often more local and usually contribute to reducing chemical, radioactive, and thermal pollution. Most electricity suppliers in Industrialised countries now offer a Green Electricity option. It can vary in how renewable it is so it is wise to check exactly how your electricity company sources its supply. By switching to Green Electricity, in most regions you would no longer create any greenhouse emissions from your electricity. An average Australian or American would save around 20kg per day; an average Western European about 5.5kg/day.
How does renewable energy work?Wind Generation uses the energy in wind to turn blades on windmills to produce electricity. Solar Generation uses solar cells to convert the sun’s rays into electricity. Because the sun is an almost infinite energy source, solar energy is regarded as being one of the cleanest forms of energy available. Hydro Generation uses flowing water to turn turbines which generate electricity. Renewable hydro generation is electricity generation obtained from running water without damaging the environment in the process. Ocean power is energy derived from waves and also from tidal flows. Biomass Generation is electricity generated from using organic sources – such as plant material or methane gas from rubbish tips. Geothermal energy is derived from hot dry rocks, magma, hot water springs, natural geysers, etc.
What are safe levels of Greenhouse gas emissions?Scientists say that to stabilise our greenhouse gases we should only create 3.5 tonnes per year – that’s 9.6 kg per day. The average world citizen including third world countries creates 19.2 kg per day (7 tonnes a year). The average Australian creates 68.5kg per day while the average American creates marginally less. The average Briton creates around 32kg per year.
The Human Climate
What is our ‘Human Climate’?While our earth’s climate includes the entire natural world around us, our ‘human climate’ encompasses our own health and wellbeing, as well as our family, neighbourhood, workplace and society.
How is the human climate linked with the earth’s climate?Our natural and human climates are intimately linked. Changes in one climate create change in the other. Most of us work very hard to provide a safe and nurturing environment for our families, and it is self-evident that massive deteriorations in our earth’s climate could dramatically affect our overall quality of life. Conversely, our human climate intimately affects our wellbeing as well. If we feel good about ourselves, we tend to treat other people and our natural environment in more positive ways. If our family, workplace and neighbourhood are safe, supportive, empowering and fulfilling, we are more likely to have better health, less stress and more productive relationships. Humanity lives on a very small planet in the twenty-first century, and the actions of people in one country quickly affect the lives of people in another. If we are to live in an enduring and sustainable relationship with our natural environment, it is very unlikely we’ll achieve this without also ensuring that people everywhere live in a safe and sustaining human environment.
Climate Change Day
The Climate Change Day teamThe Climate Day team are a diverse international group of motivated individuals who wanted to give something back to the earth and to the people who live here. YOU can be part of this worldwide initiative by making productive and positive changes that not only help your own life but also the lives of many others.
What is the goal of Climate Change Day?Climate Change Day aims to collect pledges from thousands of people to improve their inner and outer environments in order to make the world a better place for us all to live in. Goal - Earth's climate: Climate Change Day helps us rectify the balance so that we as humans are no longer just taking from the earth but are enhancing it. We can move towards this in a measurable way by having a collective first-stage goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10 kg per day, which would amount to a decrease in greenhouse emissions of industrialised countries by 25%. If you live in a county with very high greenhouse gas emissions per capita – such as Australia, USA or Singapore – you might like to aim for 20 to 30 kg per day, which you’ll find is easily achievable with our many examples. Goal - Human climate: Climate Change Day also helps us move towards greater balance in all areas of our human life so that we feel happier, healthier and more fulfilled. This can be measured in a meaningful way by increasing the amount of time we put into our human climate to at least 20 minutes of quality time per day.
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