Climate Change: What is it?
Climate change is when the average global weather conditions change. Over the past decades, human activities have produced enormouse amounts of greenhouse gases. These gases get trapped in our atmosphere. As a result, global temperatures increase and harm our planet. We see numerous effects as a result of global warming.
Poor air quality
Longer periods of drought
Increased flooding and rising oceans
Frequent cold and heat waves
Stronger storms, cyclones, and hurricanes
Species extinction and dying ecosystems
Modern Industrial Society is Inherently Destructive
Energy
Contributes to 30% of global emissions! Coal is the most significant contributor.
Transportation
Transportant contributes to over 20% of global carbon emissions. Land-based travel is a significant threat to the environment.
Agriculture
Agriculture contributes 13-18% of global emissions! We rely on agriculture for food and the demand for food is steadily increasing.
Fashion
The fashion industry currently produces 10% of the global carbon emissions! By 2050, it could produce up to a quarter of emissions.
What Leaders Have To Say
"The time is past when humankind thought it could selfishly draw on exhaustible resources. We know now the world is not a commodity.
Francous Hollande —President of the French Republic
There's one issue that will define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other, and that is the urgent threat of a changing climate.
Barack Obama —Former President of the United States of America
My message is that we'll be watching you. This is all wrong. I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you. You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. Yet I am one of the lucky ones. People are suffering.
Barack Obama —President of the United States of America
It's More Complex Than You Think
Poverty vs Prosperity
Richer people contribute to more emissions. But, 63% of globale emissions come from low to middle income countries.
Global emissions are produced from people trying to escape poverty and get to a comfortable lifestyle. This create unavoidable emissions produced to try and meet basic needs.
Agriculture and Food Production
We have a growing population, and we can't feed this population wthout greenhouse gases.
Modern food production involves unavoidable emission of greenhouse gases. It's impossible to have zero-emission food.
57% of food emissions come from animal-based food and they only make up 18% of global calories supply.
Climate Change is a Systemic Reality
The systemic reality of global warming is bigger than one person can solve. Taking personal responsibility by using metal straws will not solve climate change.
If you removed 100% of your emissions for the rest of your life, you would ONLY save one second worth of emissions from the global energy sector.
You Can Have An Influence
1
We must influence politicians who can promote change.
2
Make politicians feel strongly that their success depends on tackling climate change.
3
Vote out people who don't respect climate change strategies.
4
Hold politicans accountable for implementing effective climate change strategies.
5
Change laws and incentivize deployment of existing technologies.
6
Invest in innovation in fields that don't have great solutions.
7
Align industries to match the need to reduce carbon emissions.
8
Incorporate harsh sanctions on companies that don't abide by climate change laws.