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Climate change
Climate change is become the main
environmental issue of the XXI century
INCREASING CO2 LEVEL
Humanity's rapid industrial evolution over the
last few centuries has substantially increased
the CO2 content in the atmosphere due
predominantly to three sources:

the burning of fossil fuels such as oil, coal,
peat and natural gas

cement production

large scale land use changes (grabbing)
CARBON CICLE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
If a planet's atmosphere contains greenhouse
gases the atmosphere will radiate energy in all
directions. Part of this radiation is directed
towards the surface, warming it.
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
GLOBAL WARMING
The decadal average temperature over
European land areas increased by
approximately 1.3°C between pre-industrial
times and the decade 2002-2011.
GLOBAL WARMING
MAIN EFFECTS

Rising sea level

as water gets warmer it takes
up more space

Melting glaciers
glaciers continue to shrink
almost worldwide
Increased ocean acidity
CO2 reacts with sea water

Shrinking sea ice
in 30 years summer sea ice
has reduced the half
MAIN EFFECTS
CLIMATE ANOMALIES
WHAT CAN WE DO?

MITIGATION
avoid the unmanageable
ADAPTATION
manage the unavoidable
MITIGATION

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
ADAPTATION
prevention
make dramatic
changes to energy use civil protection actions
and production
changes in:
promote renewable
energy and innovative
technologies
stop deforestation
building
farming
irrigation
IN THE FUTURE ...
The Mediterranean region has been identified
as the main risk region in Europe for climate
change, due to impacts on several sectors as
tourism, agriculture (for example, decrease of
grains production), forestry activities,
infrastructures, energy and population health.
THE CASE OF KIRIBATI ISLANDS
Pacific islands are
among the most
vulnerable regions in
the world to the
impact of climate
change.
Remote and surrounded by the ocean, with
small surface areas and low altitudes, these
islands are at risk from both rapid-onset natural
hazards, such as tsunamis, cyclones, typhoons
and flooding, and slow-onset, such as soil
erosion, droughts, coral bleaching, and
salinization of soil and water.
THE CASE OK KIRIBATI
Kiribati comprehendes
3 main island groups
with 33 scattered
atolls
and
reef
islands and one
raised coral island.
The islands of Kiribati could disappear within
the next 30-60 years

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Ioane Teitiota, a Kiribati man, and his family arrived
in New Zealand from Kiribati in 2007.
After the expiration of their permits, they remained
in the country illegally.
After being arrested, they applied for refugee or
protected person status.
The New Zealand High Court rejected Teitiota’s
claim.
In 2013 Teitiota claimed the status of "climate
change refugee" under the Convention of Geneva,
referring to the part that regulates the Status of
Refugees.
ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES describes people
who move due to the degradation of their
environment, which can be linked to climate
change.
There are resemblances with people escaping
war and persecution, except for the following
distinctions:


war refugees can at least hope to return home
someday, environmental refugees can never
return home;
while the war refugees are protected by the
Geneva Convention, the environmental
refugees enjoy no such legal protection.

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man
as a species has always been very mobile;
we might as well refer to homo sapiens as
homo migrans
throughout history migration has been a
survival tactic and adaptation strategy used in
response to various environmental stresses
we could go as far as to say that all of us
originally migrated from Africa!
GLOBAL MIGRATION FLOWS
Climate change is affecting all countries, in all
parts of the globe. But its impacts are
distributed differently among:
- regions
- age classes
- occupations
- generations
- income groups
- genders
Women in particular are most affected by
Climate Change, since they lack the tools to
adapt, mitigate and react to environmental
changes.
In fact, the majority of the world's poor are
women
TWO POSITIVE EXAMPLES:
Ecuador
“La naturaleza o Pacha Mama, donde se
reproduce y realiza la vida, tiene derecho a
que se respete integralmente su existencia y el
mantenimiento y regeneración de sus ciclos
vitales, estructura, funciones y procesos
evolutivos. Toda persona, comunidad, pueblo
o nacionalidad podrá exigir a la autoridad
pública el cumplimiento de los derechos de la
naturaleza.” Art. 71, Cap. 7, Derechos de la Naturaleza,
Constitución de Ecuador, 2008
TWO POSITIVE EXAMPLES: Bolivia
The government of Bolivia sets out key
elements for Buen Vivir as part of Saving
Planet Earth to Save Humanity:

Denounce and end wars

A world without imperialism or colonialism


Basic services, such as water, education,
health, communication, and collective
transportation are human rights
Consume what is necessary, put an end to
consumerism, waste and luxury

Promote diversity of cultures and economies

Live well in harmony with Mother Earth
CLIMATE DENIAL