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…we’re challenged as mankind has never been challenged before to prove our maturity and our mastery, not of nature, but of ourselves.*
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Our Airline Carbon Emissions Calculator was voted the best available by the Stockholm Environment Institute in 2008.
Plan Expo will be held on Tuesday 2nd and Wednesday 3rd November 2010 at The Convention Centre Dublin, scheduled to o...
* April 3, 1963 CBS series, The Silent Spring of Rachel Carson
Drought is just one of the results of global warming
Climate Change is a gradual change in global temperature caused by an accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This creates a blanket effect around the earth, causing the temperature to rise as more and more heat is trapped in the atmosphere. A rise of just a few degrees will have a significant impact on the global climate system, the exact effects of which will be unpredictable and devastating.
Climate scientists predict that the impacts of climate change will affect the earth in dramatic ways. We can expect drought, increased incidence of natural disasters, hurricanes, rising sea levels, loss of diversity, the list is endless. The effects of Climate Change are already evident, even in Ireland, with erratic weather patterns and flooding.
In June 2007 the UN Environmental Program published the first report confirming a direct link between climate change and violent conflict: Darfur where climate change resulted in 200,000 deaths and over 2.5 million refugees.
A report from the World Wide Fund for Nature states that the earths’ vertebrate species populations (including fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals) have decreased by 33% between 1970 and 2003, likely due to human actions.
Carbon Dioxide
The six main greenhouse gases responsible for climate change, as identified in the Kyoto Protocol are:
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
- Methane (CH4)
- Nitrous Oxide (N2O)
- Hydroflourocarbons (HFCs)
- Perlourocarbons (PFCs)
- Sulfur Hexaflouride (SF6)
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) comprises approximately 77% of global greenhouse gas emissions and is commonly emitted by human activity, with electricity, heating and transportation being among the top offenders. Everyone (individuals and businesses alike) has a chance to make a difference by reducing their CO2 emissions.
Reducing Climate Change
The most respected global scientific authority on climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has stated that we need to reduce GHG emissions by at least 60% if we are to address the issue and reduce emissions to safe levels. Various schemes have been implemented to reduce emissions.