Download Climate Change - Hollywood National School

Every month throughout 2013 we have seen
effects of climate change
 Typhoon in Philippians
 Tornados in America
 Fires in Los Angeles and Australia
 Gale force winds and hurricanes in Ireland and England
 Drought in Africa
All these unusual weather patterns are signs of climate
change
What is Climate change?
 Climate change is the average
weather at a given point and time of
year. Climate change also refers to
changes in weather patterns and these
changes include temperature,
rainfall, winds and other factors
What causes climate change?
 We are living in a new era. As world
industries grow they are using more
coal, electricity and gas to supply the
world with power and everyday
products. We all produce more Co2.
We all contribute to global warming
and climate change.
Co2 and the Greenhouse Effect
 Sunlight enters the Earth’s atmosphere, passing
through a blanket of greenhouse gases
 As it reaches the earth’s surface, the land and water
absorbs the sunlight’s energy.
 Once absorbed, the energy is sent back into the
atmosphere in the form of infra-red rays.
 Some of the energy passes back into space, but much of
it remains trapped in the atmosphere by the greenhouse
gases, causing our planet Earth to warm up.
This warming is what we call Global Warming, and it is caused by the
greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is important. Without the
greenhouse effect, the earth would not be warm enough for humans to live.
But if the greenhouse effect becomes stronger, it could make the earth
warmer than usual. Even a little extra warming of the earth may cause
problems for humans, plants and animals .Some people think that this might
be good for Ireland but there could be big problems for Mediterranean
countries.
Effects of climate change
 Climate change is an effect of global warming
 Global warming causes ice to melt in icy regions and on
mountain tops
 Melted water flows into streams, rivers , lakes and seas
 This causes the levels of sea water to rise
 We are seeing more extreme weather patterns
 Changes in the lives and habitats of plants and animals
 See our pictures on the next slide
Effects of Climate Change
What can I do?
 Reduce your carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is the
sum of your carbon emissions
 Travel by bus or carpool to school and work
 Walk. Whenever possible, don’t drive but be safe
 Plant trees- A great way to reduce greenhouse gases. As trees
grow they help to stop climate change by removing carbon
dioxide from the air storing it in trees and soil and releasing
oxygen into the atmosphere
 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle items. Look for the recycled mark
when shopping. This mark means that the plastic, paper,
cardboard and cans have been produced from recycled
materials
 Turn off all lights and appliances when they are not needed
What can governments do?
 In 1997 Kyoto in Japan, Canada and 160 industrialized nations
promised to reduce their greenhouse gases This was known as the
Kyoto Agreement. We need all countries in the world to make a
definite commitment to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. The
temperature of the earth is rising and this will affect all our lives
What else can be done ?
What else can be done?
 Doing nothing about a problem can make it worse.
 Learn about climate change and share information
with others.
 Join a group and set good example for others.
 Put pressure on Government Leaders to do something.

Act Now!