Climate Change
When we burn gas, oil or coal (fossil fuels) for transportation, in industries and for heating and cooling buildings, CO2, the fastest growing GHG, Green House Gas, is emitted. GHGs cause global warming and climate change; we have known that for a long time. See further under Climate Change in the booklet, Take action, enter a new era.
Research has advanced and important innovations are made, but so far little has been done to implement this and actually stop climate change. The CO2 in the atmosphere continues to increase in an accelerated way.
People are concerned, but we and our leaders have other priorities, trying to forget it, “doing what we can”, or believing others will fix it. At this point, there ought to be a worldwide emergency call.
Risks of Exceeding the 1.5-2℃ Increase
In 2015 in Paris, governments of the world came together and agreed to stay well below 20C increase in global warming. Going beyond that, we risk that the temperature increase becomes self-perpetuating and gets out of control.
We must wake up!
The orange line in the graph shows BAU, Business As Usual, that is if we continue to live the way we do today. That would take us to a 4-degree increase in global warming; cities will be flooded, forests and vegetation risk to die of heat and bugs and new diseases will appear… We must bend that curve, downwards already in 2020; start decarbonizing (use clean energy; solar, wind, hydro, thermal, instead of fossil fuel) and get to the blue or green lines! The temperature increase so far is 1 degree and it is already hitting hard!
We, the people, have to speak out. It is about our life and the lives of our children. We can bring about change if we are strategic and focus on critical issues!
‘it is about us’ creates awareness about challenges and opportunities and mobilizes for action. There is the knowledge and there are the resources required to transition to clean energy; solar, wind, hydro, thermal power. If we are determined and work together we can see that the 20C target is met. The next 2 years are the most important for that to be possible.
Let’s make people aware, wake up those who are asleep, including governments, and unite with those who already are active!