What have polar bears got to do with it What have polar bears got to do with it? A quick guide to climate change

Objectives This presentation is to: give a brief introduction to climate change, greenhouse gases, global warming and ‘carbon footprints’ look at the impacts of climate change explore how humans are contributing to climate change look at how and why the polar bear is used as one of the symbols of climate change.

Our carbon footprint is measured in tonnes A ‘carbon footprint’ measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organization, event or product

A journey from London to Kuala Lumpur, for example, emits one tonne of carbon

This illustrates the volume of one tonne of carbon (CO2)

CO2 and other gasses add to the greenhouse effect

Temperatures rise Ice Melts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwGvTflmgZ8&feature=related play

Source: NRDC / NASA

It’s hard on the polar bears who live in the Arctic, and are used as a symbol of climate change play http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Zo7wTOdc_M

What’s the message of this poster?

Polar bears in some areas of the Arctic are serious danger of going extinct due to global warming. Rising temperatures cause sea ice to melt, especially in the summer months when the polar bears are the most active. Polar bears depend on sea ice as habitat for hunting and dens. Sea ice loss also impacts polar bears main food source--seals.

What does this graph show? Ice Melts Sea levels rise What does this graph show?

But how high will it go? Will it affect you, your children , your grandchildren? This is what 6 metres of sea level rise would look like in central London . Image from: Wish You Were Here? Postcards From The Future Most predictions say the warming of the planet will continue and likely will accelerate. Oceans will likely continue to rise as well, but predicting the amount is an inexact science. A recent study says we can expect the oceans to rise between 2.5 and 6.5 feet (0.8 and 2 meters) by 2100, enough to swamp many of the cities along the U.S. East Coast. More dire estimates, including a complete meltdown of the Greenland ice sheet, push sea level rise to 23 feet (7 meters), enough to submerge London and Los Angeles.

Global influence maps: In these maps countries and continents are re-sized according to how wealthy they are and how many carbon emissions they produce. http://www.worldmapper.org Why is Africa so small in these maps?

Have a go. Carbon footprints per person are often used as a measure. What’s your carbon footprint? Have a go. http://footprint.wwf.org.uk