#1 What is climate change?
To put it simply climate change is the long-term change in temperatures and weather patterns. Human activities, like burning fossil fuels, pump enormous amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and create warmer temperatures.
#2 - So is the planet getting hotter?
The ten warmest years on historical record have all happened since 2010 but did you know that global temperatures have only increased 1° C since mid 1850s?
But if it increases to 2°C then we're looking at severe climate disasters like more frequent droughts, heatwaves and rainfall. So, world leaders have stressed the need to limit global warming to 1.5°C by the end of this century. To do this, greenhouse gas emissions must peak before 2025 (at the latest| and decline 43% by 2030.
#3 - What are emissions?
Burning fossil fuels generates emissions that act like a greenhouse around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and raising temperatures. Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is one of the major greenhouse gases and so the terms greenhouse gas emissions and carbon emissions are used interchangeably.
The coal we burn to heat buildings, petrol we use for driving, clearing forests and landfills all pump emissions into the atmosphere and consequently cause climate change.
Our infographic below shows the breakdown of global greenhouse gas emissions in 2019, this is the latest breakdown of global emissions by sector and gas published by Climate Watch.
#4 Aren't emissions slowing?
Our world in data published the historical growth of global emissions. Pre-industrial revolution they were low. Then, in 1950 the world emitted 6 billion tonnes of CO₂. By 1990, this had almost quadrupled. Emissions have continued to grow rapidly; we now emit over 36 billion tonnes each year.
The pandemic created a dip in global emissions in 2020 but they rebounded straight back up in 2021 and still have yet to peak. We need 'pandemic' level emissions reductions to keep global warming to 1.5°C.
So what's driving climate change?...
#5 Population Growth
Of all the trends shaping our world, the rapid increase in the human population is perhaps the most fundamental. Our population continues to increase at a rate of just over 70 million a year, or 190,000 per day. There were 8 billion of us in 2023 and it's estimated there will be over 9.7 billion by 2050.
The UN Population Division predicts that by 2050, more than half of the forecast growth in the world population will come from Africa. Nigeria's population is growing the most quickly and forecast to take over the US.
#5 Economic Growth
The total economic output of the world, its GDP, has grown rapidly since 1950 – it’s now 10 times bigger. The rise of global markets over recent decades has enabled multinational corporations to grow larger than most countries – Walmart's turnover is almost twice the size of Pakistan's GDP.
The Visual Capitalist chart shows the United States is still the economic leader worldwide —making up nearly one quarter of the global economy. China follows close behind. Europe and the Americas are being rapidly overtaken by the emerging economies of Asia. Brazil now cracks the top 10, having surpassed South Korea. Russia falls just outside, in 11th place.
#6 Generating energy
Generating electricity and heat by burning fossil fuels causes a large chunk of global emissions. Nearly 80% of electricity is still generated by burning oil, coal, or gas, which produces carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide – powerful greenhouse gases that blanket the Earth and trap the sun’s heat. Globally, only 20% of our energy comes from renewable sources like wind and solar.
#7 Emissions from transport
Most cars, trucks, ships, and planes run on fossil fuels. This makes transport a major contributor of greenhouse gases; nearly 20%. It also emits pollutants that have health consequences. Transport demand is expected to grow in the coming decades as the global population increases, incomes rise, and more people can afford cars, trains and flights.
Department for Transport estimated GHG emissions from journeys across the UK, comparing different modes of transport. Using 2021 estimates they estimate that a petrol car journey from London to Glasgow emits approximately 3.3 times more CO2e per passenger than the equivalent journey by train.
#8 Waste - who are the big offenders?
Statista ranks waste generation per person for each country and Denmark, which has a population of 5.9 million people, has been at the top for years. Those who live in richer countries (high per capita income) tend to generate the most waste.
Without improvement in the management of waste the amount of waste that is predicted to pollute the terrestrial and marine environments is expected to rise.
In this graphic, Louis Lugas Wicaksono used data from a research paper by Lourens J.J. Meijer and team to highlight the top 10 countries emitting plastic pollutants in the waters surrounding them
#9 Cutting down forests
For much of human history, most of the world’s land was wilderness: forests, grasslands and shrubbery. Over the last few centuries, this has changed dramatically: wild habitats have been squeezed out and turned into agricultural land.
"The world is losing an area of forest the size of the UK each year" The Guardian.
Cutting down forests for agriculture causes emissions, since trees, when they are cut, release the carbon they have been storing. Agriculture requires large amounts of fresh water, which can cause significant environmental pressures in regions and pollutes rivers, lakes, and oceans by releasing nutrients. Deforestation, together with agriculture and other land use changes, is responsible for roughly 15% of global emissions.
#10 Producing food
Producing food causes emissions through deforestation and clearing of land for agriculture and grazing, methane from digestion by cows and sheep, the production and use of fertilizers and manure for growing crops, and the use of energy to run farm equipment or fishing boats, usually with fossil fuels. Emissions also come from packaging and distributing food. All this makes food production a major contributor to climate change.
That's ten years of climate change industry experienced condensed down in to one post. Click Here to find out how you can help the environment on your wedding day or event.
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