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Climate Change
The Future is Upon Us
Climate Change
• Climate change is also known as global
warming, which is the heating of the earth
• Our use of fossil fuels (oil, natural gas,
coal) releases carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere
• The amount of carbon dioxide and other
gases released into the atmosphere is
growing
• Factories, motor vehicles, household
activities, and agricultural activities
contribute to climate change.
• Climate change has no boundaries,
affecting the world's population.
Effects of Climate Change
• Greater air pollution
• Severe and frequent extreme weather events such as storms,
floods, droughts, tornadoes, heat waves
• Increase in diseases transmitted by mosquitoes, ticks or rodents
because of changes in precipitation and temperature
• Fresh water sources threatened with rapidly shrinking glaciers and
drought
• Intense exposure to sun’s ultraviolet rays due to thinning ozone
layer leading to more skin cancer and impaired vision
• Inadequate food production due to environmental changes and
pollutants
• Changes in population distribution
The Kyoto Protocol
• Signed by 141 countries, this agreement
will reduce global emissions
The U.S. Position
• President Bush said on June 11, 2001, that the Kyoto Protocol is a
“fatally flawed,” “unrealistic” accord with targets “not based on
science”.
• “Complying with these mandates would have a negative economic
impact, with layoffs of workers and price increases for consumers.”
The U.S. will increase its investment in climate change research and
work on technologies to reduce emissions. Although Bush also said
that the U.S. would increase conservation and energy efficiency and
“consequently reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by significant
amounts in coming years”, that thinking is not yet reflected in the
Administration’s budget priorities.
Canada’s Position
• Canada is a leader in global climate change and
will sponsor the International Conference in
Montreal in December 2005
• Canadian government has taken the initiative to
provide access to current information for schools
and other organizations
• Canadian government has a TEAM program that
connects public and private groups to develop
new technology and processes to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions, which has spread
worldwide.
TEAM Sites
What Will You Do?