Climate change climate change Climate Change The most

Climate change climate change

Climate Change • The most urgent issue of our time • Not ‘just’ an environmental issue • It threatens our health, our jobs, our way of life

What is Climate Change? • Climate change is a process that involves global warming and the enhanced greenhouse effect • The greenhouse effect is a process where greenhouse gases trap heat from the sun What are greenhouse gases? • Gases that absorb and trap heat • Water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide

Without Greenhouse Gases 18°C -18°C

Greenhouse Gases in Action Atmosphere 15°C

So What Is Global Warming? • Larger amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are trapping more of the sun’s heat than normal

Global Warming In Action Atmosphere 16, 17, 18, 19, 20°C?

As carbon dioxide increases so does the global temperature

Global temperatures will keep rising • Climate change is already visible • The greater the temperature increases the more severe the consequences will be • Temperature rise is estimated to be between 2 o. C and 5. 8 o. C if we continue to pollute as we are

what causes Climate Change?

• Human beings are causing the planet to heat up • Burning fossil fuels is the main cause of this global warming

In Australia, there are 3 main sources of carbon dioxide

1. Coal power stations producing electricity Most of Australia’s energy comes from coal power • Coal is the most greenhouse polluting electricity source

2. Traffic Australians often drive when they don’t have to • Over 1/3 of car journeys in Australian cities are less than 3 km

3. Deforestation About 1/7 of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions are created by land clearing • Forests absorb carbon dioxide from the air • Burnt and rotting timber gives off greenhouse gases

what are the consequences of What are the consequences of Climate Change?

Water shortage Three times more drought by 2070

Rising tides Rising sea levels, up to 1 m by 2100 will cause millions to lose their homes • 150 million climate refugees within 50 years • Parts of XXXX may be under water

Coral Reefs Elevated sea temperatures can cause coral bleaching • The Great Barrier Reef may be dead within 20 years

Loss of biodiversity • Most of the world’s wetlands are threatened • Up to 37% of all species may be extinct by 2050 from climate change alone

what are the solutions to Climate Change?

Energy efficiency and reduction A change in behaviour can change a lot: • Ride your bike • Turn off lights • Use energy saving light globes • Turn down you hot water system • Turn down your air conditioner • Turn things off at the switch

Saving energy saves money • Use cold water for washing clothes $75 • Reduce standby energy use $35 • Use 4 low energy light globes $60 • Install a water saving shower head $47 • Installing proper ceiling insulation $150 • Use gas instead of electricity $83 • Energy efficient washing machine and fridge $52 • Cycle 40 km’s a week instead of driving $770 Total $1337

Renewable energy A source of energy that uses a regenerative natural process: • Solar • Wind • Hydroelectric • Biomass • Wave technology • Geothermal

Renewable energy - a comparison Renewable energy will have created nearly one million jobs in Europe by 2010: • Sweden already uses 48% renewable energy • Spain already uses 26% renewable energy • Denmark will uses 29% renewable energy by 2010 Australia uses 8% renewable energy

A common question… If the wind or sun stops, doesn’t the electricity stop? • The short answer is no. Different locations are not affected by exactly the same wind or sun patterns • Also, in Germany wind forecasters can tell 48 hours in advance how much electricity they will generate • Biomass and wave power are constant like coal power

Will nuclear power stop climate change? What is nuclear power? • Nuclear power involves splitting a uranium atom • This produces loads of energy and multiple different atoms which decay and release radiation • Radiation may be released for hundreds of thousands of years

Will nuclear power stop climate change? Too dirty - Greenhouse gas emissions from mining, enrichment, transport and infrastructure Too slow - It takes at least 15 years to build a nuclear power reactor Too dangerous - Nuclear waste is dangerously radioactive now and for hundreds of thousands of years. There is no safe way to store it and there are security threats posed by terrorists Too expensive - For example, it is seven times more expensive than energy reductions

Will nuclear power stop climate change? “Nuclear power and the uranium mining industry are neither financially or environmentally sustainable … The positive greenhouse impacts could be equally obtained … in the renewable energy sector” - AMP Capital Investors

WE CAN ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! • Ride your bike or catch public transport • Get your home or school to purchase Green Power – energy from renewable sources • Organise a ‘ride to school’ day or get recycling at school • Tell politicians you care – write them letters or call them