Climate Facts

Each passing day brings yet more evidence that we are now facing a planetary emergency, a climate crisis that demands immediate attention. —Al Gore

Climate Change, facts, figures and resources

Science has now shown that human activities are perturbing the whole Earth-system at a wide-scale and with extreme speed, (download the full report here) affecting the cycles of all major components of life (water, carbon, nitrogen etc). In particular, the massive CO2 emissions from burning fossil-fuel and deforestation is driving global warming (and thus increases in sea level), ocean acidification, and a wealth of inter-dependent effects that we are unable to predict with reasonable certainty.

The evidence we have today suggests that developing countries, which are mostly located in warmer regions and whose major source of income is often agriculture, will be worst hit by changes in rainfall patterns, greater weather extremes, and more droughts and floods. We know that the change in precipitation pattern is likely to affect the quality and quantity of the water supply, thus compounding the impact poor water and sanitation, as well as malnutrition, and weather –related physical hazards, such as hurricanes and flooding are likely to result in death, injuries and trauma.

Young children are particularly vulnerable, their physical characteristics, childhood activities and natural curiosity, put them at greater risk from environmental hazards, which are often exacerbated by climate change. In the past, climate change was characterized as an environmental issue, but at this stage of change, it has become a more complex sustainable development issue.

The impacts of climate change are far-reaching and cannot be addressed from a purely environmental perspective, they virtually affect all aspects of life on Earth. (Here is a PDF illustration of the impacts of climate change on children) No one really knows exactly how, when or where many changes, some suddenly may occur, yet, we are beginning to understand that there is much that can be done to reduce risks and adapt to changing circumstances. (This PDF Illustration to show’s ways to mitigate the risk of Climate Change on Children)

Access to clean energy is another double edged sword impacting the lives of the world’s poorest children as worldwide, 1.6 billion people lack access to electricity, and 2.4 billion people lack modern fuels for cooking and heating. Four out of five people with no access to electricity live in developing countries and in rural areas, mainly in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa. This lack of adequate energy infrastructure forces more than a third of humanity—3 billion people— to cook and heat their homes by burning wood, dung and crop waste. (the link downloads the pdf report) These families face an impossible dilemma: Cook with solid fuels and suffer the health consequences, or don’t eat a cooked meal.

Smoke in the home leads to the deaths of nearly 800,000 children each year. Newborns and infants are often carried on their mother’s back while she is cooking, or kept close to the warm hearth. As a result, they spend many hours breathing polluted air during their first year of life – just when their developing airways and their immune systems make them particularly vulnerable. Climate and weather influence the concentration of these materials in the air.

Shifting from solid fuels to cleaner energy can potentially yield the largest reduction in indoor air pollution levels while minimizing the

Climate Resources

Science of climate change for policymakers:

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) IPCC 4th Assessment Report (AR4)

The AR4 is a remarkable achievement involving more than 500 Lead Authors and 2000 Expert Reviewers, building on the work of a wide scientific community and submitted to the scrutiny of delegates from more than one hundred participating nations. It is the result of the enthusiasm, dedication, and cooperation of experts from many different but related disciplines.

Climate Change and Children: A Human Security Challenge, UNICEF, Innocenti Research Centre(2008) PDF Document

Climate Change and Children, UNICEF (2007) PDF Document Download

Was interviewed by Kim Krisberg in a March 2008 article in The Nations Health entitled “For youth, global climate change is about action, not debate: Children vulnerable to climate effects”

Climate Change: Addressing the Impact on Human Security, Hellenic Foundation for Defense and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP)

Powerpoint presentation ind PDF format: “Climate Change, Children and ESD: An Educational Approach to Adaptation” made by Ms. Goodman at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Paris, France, September 2008.

Short UNICEF videos produced for the UN Climate Change Conference in Bali, December 2007: