Climate change and disasters: an introduction

Quick facts

1. The ten hottest summers on record in the UK have all been since 1990.
2. There is 34 per cent more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere now than there was before the industrial revolution.
3. The global average surface temperature has increased by 0.7°C since the end of the 19th century.
4. The European heat wave in 2003 was the hottest since records began. It is projected that by 2060 such summers will be considered 'unusually cool'.
5. Many of the communities Tearfund partners work with are already experiencing problems due to climate change.

The 'greenhouse effect'

Heat is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere by gases such as carbon dioxide and methane. These act as a blanket, warming the earth - and this is called the greenhouse effect. This happens naturally and helps to keep the earth’s temperature high enough for us to live on it.

But the increase in levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere has increased this effect, trapping more heat and increasing the Earth's temperature.

Global consequences

The effects of climate change are already being felt across the globe. The evidence suggests that the 2003 European heat wave in which temperatures rose above 100°F for the first time in the UK and killed 35,000 people across, was caused by human action.

But rising global temperatures have knock-on effects. Many parts of the developing world are experiencing erratic weather patterns that lead to drastic reductions in crop yields and rises in the sea level are claiming many areas of low-lying lands.

Are there any solutions?
There are many proposals to reduce the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere ranging from nuclear energy to technology to capture and store carbon dioxide instead of emitting it into the atmosphere.

However the bare facts show that reducing our emissions we produce is vital, particularly in the short term. Governments, companies and individuals all need to make this a top priority.