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our future
Fighting
climate change
together
Climate Action
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ISBN 978-92-79-42878-4 ISBN 978-92-79-42854-8
doi:10.2834/98106 doi:10.2834/86860
ML-06-14-050-EN-C ML-06-14-050-EN-N
© European Union, 2015
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5 24
3 Hot topic
4 The science bit
8 A changing world
14 Making a difference
24 Fighting climate change
around the world
26 Over to you!
youtube.com/EUClimateAction pinterest.com/EUClimateAction
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hy is everyone talking about climate change?
Well, probably because it is one of the most serious
challenges facing our world today. Our planet is
experiencing significant and accelerated climate change that began
over a century ago.
Most scientists agree that the planet is warming up faster than ever
because of the vast amount of greenhouse gases that are being
pumped into the atmosphere as the result of human actions. This
includes activities such as burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas),
driving cars and cutting down forests.
Many of us have seen – and even experienced – the effects of climate
change. But it is not just about extreme weather like floods, droughts
and hurricanes. The changes in our climate have the potential to
completely alter the way we live.
The good news is that in the EU and around the world, governments,
companies and individuals are working to tackle its causes and adapt
to the changes it brings. We all have a part to play because climate
change is a global problem which can affect each one of us.
We all share one planet and the changes we make in one place can
affect others far away. You could say our behaviour makes a lasting
impression, like a footprint. So, through our actions and choices, each
one of us can take steps to leave smaller footprints and help tackle
climate change.
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arth’s climate has changed throughout history, gradually
getting hotter or colder for long periods of time. In the last
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million years there have been about ten ice ages, with much
warmer periods in between. These changes were the result
of natural causes, such as changes in the tilt of the planet, the sun’s activity and ocean currents. But the
changes we are seeing today are different − and we are responsible! By releasing more of the gases that trap
heat into the atmosphere, we are causing the temperature on Earth to rise at an extraordinary rate.
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Our planet is warming fast. Human
activities are causing this change,
and we are beginning to see the
consequences all over the world. The
more we disturb the climate, the greater
the risks of dangerous changes and the harder
and more expensive it will be to limit future
WHAT’S THE DIFFE changes and adapt to the unavoidable impacts.
RENCE?. The average temperature of the Earth’s surface
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could rise by 4°C or more before the end of this
century if we don’t take urgent action to reduce
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How does science help in the fight
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against climate change?
Science is where it all starts. It helps us
understand the changes we’re experiencing
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now and those that could happen in the future
depending on our actions today and over the
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coming decades. Science provides the solid
evidence that guides policy-makers and enables
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What can we do about climate change?
Unfortunately, there will be some impacts of
climate change that we won’t be able to avoid
and we will have to adapt to those, but it’s
still important that we limit the scale of future
impacts. The good news is that there is a lot we
can do. It’s not just up to politicians to take action.
We can all do our part by making smart choices
like eating less meat and more locally grown
fruit and vegetables, saving energy, and cycling
or walking instead of travelling by car (especially
on short journeys). The great thing is that many
of these actions are also good for our health and
our wallets.
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he effects of climate change are being felt on all continents across
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the world and are predicted to become more frequent and more ?
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intense in the coming decades. Different countries and regions face "
different problems. These changes have the power to transform our world, 6&++G
affecting food and water supplies and our health. The bigger the problems,
the more difficult and expensive it will be to solve them – which is why
taking early action to deal with climate change is the best option.
Strongest typhoon
(Haiyan) on record
hit the Philippines
Unprecedented
snowfall in Israel,
Jordan and Syria
Cyclone Phailin
Worst droughts in hit India
southern Africa
in 30 years
North-eastern Brazil – worst
drought in 50 years
Warmer oceans
Climate change is also having a ?
big impact on the world’s oceans. Did you know
Oceans have absorbed more than
90% of the additional heat from @
atmospheric changes caused )(@2
by our activities over the past
40 years. While this means that
the atmosphere is not warming as
much as it could, it is warming the
oceans. Warmer water reduces fish (
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and shellfish numbers and causes
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species to migrate. For example,
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tiny shrimp-like krill, eaten by fish
and whales, breed best in cold
water. Warmer water means fewer
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krill and fewer fish. Coral reefs, "P7+
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which are home to over 25% of all
marine life and where many fish
breed, also struggle to survive when
the water gets too warm.
The oceans absorb around a quarter Rising sea levels
of the carbon dioxide we release
Between 1901 and 2010, coastlines and is threatening to
every year, and rising levels of
the average sea level across the submerge some islands completely.
CO2 mean greater amounts of
world rose by 19cm. There are Higher sea levels can also harm
the gas being stored in the seas.
two main reasons for this: the first important coastal ecosystems like
This helps to regulate the climate
is that as water gets warmer it mangrove forests, which are safe
but is changing the chemical
expands and takes up more space. havens for young fish and other
balance in the oceans. The waters
The second is that global warming wildlife, protecting them from
are becoming more acidic, which is
is causing glaciers and the giant ice storms that erode coasts. And
harmful to marine life, in particular
sheets in Greenland and Antarctica when salt water soaks into land,
to shell-building sea creatures like
to melt faster, adding more water to it ruins drinking water supplies and
lobsters, oysters and corals.
the oceans. The resulting rise in sea spoils soils, making it impossible to
levels causes floods on low-lying grow crops.
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Preparing
for extreme
weather in
Plans to tackle Copenhagen
In July 2011, it rained in
climate change Copenhagen … but this was no
Many EU countries have already ordinary shower. Around 15cm of
Tackling the prepared national plans to address rain fell in just two hours. The city’s
heat the problems climate change
causes. As different regions will face
drains could not cope with the
volume of water and buildings and
Smart planting: some farmers are different problems, these plans have roads were soon flooded. Two of
planting more crops among trees to be adapted to regional and local Copenhagen’s major hospitals were
for shade to cope with the hotter, situations. In agricultural areas, threatened with closure because of
drier climate. In cities, landscapers for example, this might include flooding and power cuts. The event
are introducing drought-tolerant investing in storage facilities to made the city’s leaders think about
flowers and shrubs in parks and water crops in a drought, while in drawing up a plan to protect the
along roadsides that can cope with cities it may mean creating more city from future extreme weather
warm, dry conditions. parks to keep people cool during events. As a result, a Cloudburst
heatwaves. Management Plan has been
Green walls and roofs: a number of
developed which will not only help
cities are growing plants on walls
manage rainwater better in the
and roofs to absorb heat and help
future but will also improve the
control the temperature inside
quality of city life. The scheme even
buildings when it is hot. They also
includes proposals to develop new
absorb water and reduce run-off
bicycle routes that also serve as
during storms.
storm-water channels.
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European
Green
Capitals
The European Green Capital
award is given to cities that arere
committed to becoming more
sustainable. Bristol, in south-
west England, took the honours rs
for 2015. Ljubljana in Slovenia a
6.
will take over the title in 2016.
The aim is for cities to inspire
each other and share ideas and nd
experiences.
Ljubljana
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Copenhagen (European Green Capital 2014)
What a waste!
Imagine returning from the supermarket and throwing
a third of your shopping straight into the bin. That
is roughly the proportion of food produced globally
that is lost or wasted every year. The European
Commission is working with its partners to help
spread the word about shopping wisely, the meaning
of dates on food labels and using leovers. It is also
trying to make it easier − where safe to do so − for
surplus food to be donated to food banks or used
for animal feed. Let’s all work together to reduce
the estimated 100 million tonnes of food currently
wasted annually in the EU!
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Did you know
%*7+ Think twice before
upgrading gadgets
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Waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE)
is the fastest growing category of waste in the
EU. WEEE is full of plastics and metals, including
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harmful ones like mercury and valuable ones like
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gold used in circuit boards. The EU has set targets for
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rrecycling electronics to save resources and restrict
tthe hazardous materials manufacturers can put into
eelectronics, protecting recyclers and the environment.
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Concrete action on
CO2 emissions Jobs in the pipeline
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C Fancy an exciting career working with the
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there are many jobs in areas like renewables
that did not exist ten years ago. Some EU
(@2:) countries have even set up special training
(@2 centres for the operation and maintenance
of offshore wind turbines. Imagine climbing
up an 85-metre tall wind turbine tower to
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fix an electrical fault or service the oil filter
– a long way from shore and working in
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stormy seas and gusting winds!
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pledged to take voluntary action B
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As an actor I pretend for a living. by 2020. But these pledges will (
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climate change.
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climate change in that same way:
as if it were a fiction, happening
Towards a new
to someone else’s planet, as if global deal Funding change
pretending that climate change Thanks to pressure from the EU and
other countries, UN negotiations are Poor and vulnerable nations will
wasn’t real would somehow make need help to cut their emissions
under way to reach a new legally
it go away. But I think we know and adapt to the impacts of
binding climate agreement that
better than that. Every week, would require action by all countries climate change. The EU provides
we’re seeing new and undeniable to cut greenhouse gas emissions. the largest amount of public
Citizens and businesses have a role money to developing countries to
climate events, evidence that fund climate projects. In 2013, for
to play too.
accelerated climate change is example, the EU and its member
here now.” World leaders will meet in Paris countries collectively provided
in December 2015 to finalise the €9.5 billion to help them tackle
Leonardo DiCaprio, UN Messenger for deal, which should be implemented climate change. EU Member States
Peace, 2014, speaking to world leaders at in 2020. also contributed almost half of the
the UN Climate Summit in New York $10 billion pledged to the UN’s new
Green Climate Fund, which will also
support developing countries.
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you!
concerned about the threats
from climate change?
Are you passionate about the need
to reduce carbon emissions? A good
place to start is by making changes
in everyday actions that reduce your
carbon footprint. No action you take
is too small.
Make smart
choices
One way you can make a difference Be picky about packaging: plastic
is by making smart choices when packaging adds to the waste
you are shopping. burden and is not easily recycled. Did you know?
Buy products in recyclable or "
Buy less: buy better, spend less –
compostable packaging and 1
for example, buy one good pair of
take a reusable bag to carry
shoes rather than three cheap pairs.
shopping home.
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Buy locally: choosing local fruit
and vegetables in season rather
than those grown a long way away
saves energy used in transport.
(But remember, local is not always
better carbon-wise, for example
if grown in heated greenhouses
or with fertilisers made from
fossil fuels.)
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For more climate-friendly tips, visit:
ec.europa.eu/clima/citizens/tips/
Check out our latest films at:
youtube.com/EUClimateAction
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