Go to: Issue Description - Key Facts - Table of Contents
Issue Description
As the global temperature continues to rise there are concerns that the effects of climate change will be felt around the world, with extreme weather, melting glaciers and loss of biodiversity just some of the possible results. Are our actions causing climate change? What changes can we make to reduce our impact on the climate? This book looks at the debate surrounding climate change and some possible solutions to the problem.
The information comes from a variety of sources, including government reports and statistics, newspapers and magazine articles, surveys and polls, academic research and literature from charities and lobby groups; articles have been tailored to an 11 to 14 age group. Additionally, at the end of each chapter is a page of activities relating to the articles and issues raised in that chapter.
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Key Facts
- People are causing climate change by burning nature's vast stores of coal, oil and natural gas. This releases billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO²) every year, although the changes may actually have started with the dawn of agriculture, say some scientists. (pages 2-3)
- The world is warming faster than at any time in the last 10,000 years. (page 8)
- Climate change will increasingly drive biodiversity loss, affecting both individual species and their ecosystems. (page 9)
- The solutions to climate change exist, primarily in reducing the consumption of fossil fuels in the developed world, and in technologies which harness unlimited and unpolluting renewable energy. (page 18)
- In the UK, the energy we use in our homes and for personal transport is responsible for 44% of the Country's carbon dioxide (CO²) emissions. (pages 22-23)
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Table of Contents
Chapter One: Our Changing Climate
World becoming more humid, Instant expert: climate change, Climate change controversies, Why it's green to go vegetarian, What does climate change mean for us?, Biodiversity and climate change: ecosystems, Climate change and cities, UK legislation: Climate Change Bill, Carbon offsetting – FAQs, Activities.
Chapter Two: Climate Solutions
Oceans offer climate cure, Can algae save the world?, Fuelling the future, Climate change and renewable energy, Combat climate change with fewer babies, New eco-towns tackle climate change, Positive energy, Activities.