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Climate Change Frequently Asked Questions
‘For us Climate Change is a life issue – people are trying to cope with it day by day. For
the rest of the world it is an economic issue’ - Father Michael McKenzie, Kiribati
What is Climate Change?
The earth’s climate is a complex and interactive system, with certain important gases in the
atmosphere which maintain our climate within liveable limits. It has changed and altered many
times in response to natural causes, however the term climate change, as it is now commonly
used, usually refers to changes that have occurred since the early 1900s.
What is the difference between Weather and Climate?
Climate and weather are very different things, and the level of predictability is comparably
different. Weather is the temperature, precipitation (rain, hail, sleet and snow) and wind, which
change hour by hour and day by day. Climate is weather and the nature of its variations averaged
over an extended period of time.
What causes Climate Change?
Climate change is happening because of an increase in greenhouse gases in the earth’s
atmosphere. Some of the gases are in the atmosphere naturally. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is a natural
and crucial greenhouse gas – it is necessary for plants to breathe and photosynthesise.
But CO2 levels have been increasing over past decades, and in the past 250 years, have risen by
37 percent. Methane (NH4) has increased by 150 percent and nitrous oxide (N2O) by 18 percent.
This rapid increase is more than can be accounted for by natural processes.
At the same time that scientists have documented these increases, they have also documented
the amounts of greenhouse gases human activities release into the air. There is now overwhelming
scientific consensus that an increase in the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere from human
activities like burning coal, oil and gas, has led to an enhanced greenhouse effect and extra
warming. As a result, over the past century there has been an underlying increase in average
temperatures, with the ten hottest years on record globally having all been since 1997.
What is the projected impact of Climate Change?
• Species in natural ecosystems will attempt to migrate with the changing climate, but will differ in
their degree of success. Ecosystem productivity may decrease or increase, at least over the shortterm.
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• Increases in temperature and changes in precipitation will have significant impacts on water
resources, either reducing or increasing water availability along with increasing the risk of floods
or droughts.
• Coastal developments will experience additional sea-level rise that will interact with coastal
storms to erode beaches, inundate land, and damage structures.
• Human health may be affected by climate change through a number of mechanisms
including extreme temperatures, exacerbation of air pollution, severe weather, and increased
spread of infectious diseases.
How does Climate Change affect the poor?
The impacts of climate change will be of significant detriment to the health, food security and
livelihoods of some of the poorest communities in the world, exacerbating existing development
challenges in these vulnerable regions. Ironically, it is often the poorest communities who have
contributed the least to global warming who are the most vulnerable to its impacts.
Many of the communities Caritas Australia serve are already experiencing the effects of a
changing climate; they have told us the rains are coming earlier, the drought is lasting longer,
fresh water is becoming scarcer due to sea level rise and storm surges, extreme weather events
such as cyclones are increasing in frequency and intensity. At a recent Caritas seminar in Fiji
Father Michael McKenzie from the Diocese of Tarawa, Kiribati said “For us Climate Change is a
life issue – people are trying to cope with it day by day. For the rest of the world it is an economic
issue”.
What is the solution?
There are two main ways of approaching a solution to climate change:
ADAPTATION - this is necessary since our climate is going to change as a result of the already
present and continuing concentrations of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. Adapting
to change is necessary, and may come in the form of preparing for more frequent storms,
relocating settlements away from the coast or moving to ensure food and water security in
preparation for prolonged periods of drought.
MITIGATION – this refers to reducing or limiting the amount of greenhouse gases we produce and
release into the atmosphere. It also refers to activities that absorb greenhouse gases, such as
replanting forests, which absorb CO2. Enhancing energy efficiency, increasing reliance on and
investment in renewable energy and effective carbon trading systems are all mitigation initiatives
which can reduce the impacts of climate change.
Change your footprint - take a stand.
How is Caritas helping communities to adapt?
Caritas is working across the globe to assist those who face challenges due to a changing climate.
In Kiribati, Caritas is working with our local partners to encourage all community members to
understand the impact of sea level rise. In Fiji we are working with Tutu Training College to ensure
all young farmers know how to protect their crops from the increasing threat of cyclones. In
Bangladesh, we are supporting education and training programs to address the agricultural and
livelihood challenges which local communities are facing as a result of increased salinity due to
storm surges and sea level rise.
Caritas Australia is also assisting our supporters and partners to become more effective advocates,
at local and regional levels, to address the impact of climate change in their respective
communities. For example, in Indonesia, we are supporting the work of Down to Earth, an
organisation which promotes greater inclusion of local communities in the development of policies
concerning use of the land and natural resources on which their livelihoods depend.
What is your ecological footprint?
An ecological footprint is a measure of how lightly or heavily we step on the earth in terms of our
use of the earths’ resources. The term ‘carbon footprint’ often refers to the specific measure of the
amount of carbon emitted by a given person or organisation over a given period of time. Both can
be estimated for individuals, schools, cities or countries.
Overall, the more material things and products we own and use, the larger our ecological footprint
and the greater the impact on our environment and poor communities around the world.
For more information about how to measure and reduce your ecological footprint in solidarity with
the world’s poor, visit: http://www.catholicearthcare.org.au/
Sources:
Australian Academy of Science, 2010, The Science of Climate Change: Questions and Answers,
Canberra http://www.science.org.au/reports/climatechange2010.pdf
CSIRO, 2009, The Climate is Changing: Fact Sheet http://www.csiro.au/resources/Climate-ischanging--ci_pageNo-6.html
Garnaut, R, 2011, Garnaut Climate Change Review – Update 2011 www.garnautreview.org.au
Global Footprint Network, 2009, Advancing the Science of Sustainability, http://www.
footprintnetwork.org/
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, 2007, IPCC Fourth Assessment Report: Climate
Change Synthesis Report http://www.ipcc.ch/publications_and_data/ar4/syr/en/main.html