What is climate change?
Climate change is the term used to refer to climatic changes caused by rises in the earth’s global temperature. Global surface temperatures have increased by 0.7ºC since the 19th century and the ten hottest years since 1856 occurred in the 1990s and 2000s. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a UN body consisting of 2,500 of the world’s best climate change scientists, predicts temperature rises of between 1.8°C and 4.0°C by the end of this century unless drastic action is taken.
What causes climate change?
The ‘greenhouse effect’ is a natural process that keeps the earth’s temperature high enough for us to live on it. Some of the heat from the sun is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere by ‘greenhouse gases’ such as carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane. These act like a blanket around the earth and enable life to exist on our planet. However, there has been a dramatic increase in the levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere since the industrial age. Once released the greenhouse gases stay in the atmosphere for many years. As they build up, the planet's temperature rises. Greenhouse gases are released by the burning of fossil fuels (coal, gas, oil) - to heat and light our homes, for industry and for transport
Grace Maglasey and her husband Andrew struggle to grow enough food because their village in Malawi is caught in a cycle of floods and droughts.
Is climate change really happening as a result of human activity, or is it just natural variations in temperature?
The latest UN scientific report confirmed that climate change is definitely happening as a result of human activity, and it’s already adversely affecting the poor in developing countries. The science and impacts are now almost unanimously accepted by scientists and politicians alike. The rise in global average temperature that has occurred over the 20th century is well outside the range of known natural variability.
Who’s to blame?
Historically, industrialised countries are the earth’s biggest polluters, with about 95% of fuel-burning in the northern hemisphere. Rich nations produce about 25 times more CO2 per head of population than poor countries.
What is the impact of climate change?
The impact of climate change is being felt now and is one of the greatest injustices of our time. The world’s poorest people have contributed least to our changing climate yet they are hit hardest by its devastating effects.
- Sea level rise - as oceans warm, water expands leading to rises in the sea level. Polar ice caps melting also contributes to this. Hundreds of millions of people could be displaced as a result.
- Unpredictable rainfall - climate change will produce a more intense hydrological cycle, which will mean greater water stress in the world’s driest parts with more droughts and more flooding in other places, and inevitably more famines.
- Extreme weather events - climate change is already increasing the number of floods and droughts and the intensity of cyclones. This is only set to get worse as the climate warms.
- Increase in illness and death - increase in diseases such as malaria
All of this will lead to conflicts over food and water, rising numbers of environmental refugees and global economic losses.
Climate change is a development issue and will increase poverty in the future
How can we tackle climate change?
We must take every step we can to avoid climate change increasing poverty further in the future by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We can’t stop some inevitable climate change caused by past emissions and things may get worse before they get better, but if we dramatically reduce our current emissions we can prevent changes reaching critical levels. Scientists tell us that in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change, the global average temperature increase must remain as far below 2ºC as possible, which for industrialised countries could mean an 80% cut in emissions by 2050.
What is Tearfund doing about it?
Tearfund recognises how crucial it is that we act now if we are to protect the millions of poor communities that are hit hardest by climate change. As a Christian organisation upholding biblical values, Tearfund also maintains that Christians should love God by honouring him in his creation and through our love for our neighbours- globally, now and in the future.
Tearfund is committed to reducing its own carbon footprint. One measure already taken is to choose a green electricity provider Good Energy to supply electricity to the head office. Good Energy claims to be the only UK company obtaining all its electricity from renewable sources.
Tearfund is campaigning to ensure that the UK government’s Climate Change Bill contains annual carbon budgets aimed at reducing the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by at least 3 % each year. We are also campaigning at an international level to obtain an international agreement that will keep temperature rise below 2ºC.
No matter what we do to address the cause of climate change, significant change is already inevitable. Tearfund is working with the local church to help poor communities adapt to climate change and also lobbying governments to do the same. Projects include planting drought resistant crops, rainwater harvesting, building small dams to delay the flow of rainwater and help it soak into the ground, soil conservation and reforestation. It also means helping communities to prepare for floods, droughts and cyclones.
Where can I get more information?
As well as the climate change section of the Campaigning zone on the website, Tearfund’s booklet called For Tomorrow Too is a great resource, full of information on climate change.