The causes of climate change
There is now strong evidence and almost unanimous agreement that significant global warming is occurring faster than can be explained by natural variations.
Human activity has changed the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere:
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by releasing carbon trapped in fossil fuels, such as coal, gas and oil, when they are burned for energy, heat or transport
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by chopping down trees to clear land for agriculture
In the UK:
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40 % of carbon emissions come from business activity
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29 % are from transport
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25 % are from homes
The biggest sources of carbon emissions for most people are likely to be:
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the energy you use in your home (the biggest use is for heating)
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driving
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air travel
Other things in people's homes contribute to climate change indirectly. Everything from food, computers, clothes to carpets uses energy when it is produced and transported - causing carbon emissions to be released.
The effects of climate change
Even if no more fossil fuels were burned or trees cut down, the world?s climate would still warm in years to come as there is a time lag between when emissions occur and when their effects are felt.
Some of the likely effects of this warming include:
Rainfall
Some regions of the world will experience more extreme rainfall while others will experience drought.
Sea levels
These could rise by more than 40 cm by the end of the century. As the oceans warm, the water expands and more water melts from glaciers and polar ice caps. The new levels would swamp small low-lying island states and put millions of people at risk of flooding.
Water
There will be less water available for irrigation and drinking because there will be less rain. Up to three billion more people could suffer water shortages by 2080 in northern Africa, the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent.
Harvest
Cereals and crop yields are expected to suffer in areas of less water and increased temperatures.
Disease
Malaria, West Nile fever, dengue fever and river blindness will spread to a wider area with an extra 290m people exposed to malaria by the 2080s.
Wildlife
If temperatures rise in the middle of the predicted range, a third of all land-living species will be threatened by 2050. Some species are unable to adapt quickly enough to the temperature change and habitats might not be available for them to move into.
Rainforests
Higher temperatures and reduced rainfall could mean the loss of large areas of the Brazilian and southern African rainforest.
Climate change in the UK
The UK climate is already changing. The 1990s were the warmest decade in central England since records began in the 1660s. The average sea level around the UK is now about 10cm higher than it was in 1900.
What you can do
To reduce the risk of radical changes to temperatures in the future, action is needed now. The government is working internationally to gain agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the world.
It has set targets for cutting carbon emissions and is ahead of its international obligations on greenhouse gases. But to meet its target for cutting carbon dioxide emissions by 60 per cent by 2050, everyone must act together - government, businesses and individuals.
You can make a difference by:
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saving energy in your home, by installing insulation, using energy efficient appliances and light bulbs, not leaving appliances on standby and switching phone chargers off when not in use.
Calculate your carbon footprint!
Use the Act on CO2 calculator to find out what your carbon footprint is. You'll also get a personalised action plan with recommendations about how you can help tackle climate change - including links to further information on Directgov and the Energy Saving Trust website.
Act on CO2
Climate change is a serious problem that affects us all. There is strong evidence that human emissions of greenhouse gases are changing the world's climate. The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2), produced when we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas for energy.
Over 40 per cent of CO2 emissions in the UK come directly from what we do as individuals; for example, heating and using electricity in our homes - and driving vehicles. Flights are the next biggest source of individuals? CO2 emissions.
SOURCE:http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/index.htm
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