CLIMATE CHANGE by Sophia Papagoula

by Sophia Papagoula13th Primary School ofTrikala

Climate Change

Extreme Weather Conditions

Rising Sea Levels

Animal species becoming Extinct

Farming

Deforestation

Fossil Fuel Pollution

07. The Greenhouse Effect

10. What can we do?

11. What can governments do?

Melting Ice Caps

08. Causes of Climate Change

09. Effects of Climate Change

06. Main reason for Global Warming

Greenhouse gases

05. Global Warming

04. What is today's Climate Change?

03. Climate Change

02. What is Climate?

01. The Environment

There's no planet B

Index

It is important that we keep the environment healthy by taking care of the soil, the water, the air, and all the plants and animals that live here.

This is our environment!

PLANET EARTH

We get everything we need from our home

We need clean air to breathe.

We need good food to eat.

We need clean water to drink.

We need somewhere safe to live.

Humans, like all living things, need certain things to live and be healthy.

The environment

01

Climate is the pattern of the weather conditions over a long period of time for a large area.

The beaches in the Mediterranean are warm.

The Antarctic is very cold - it is the coldest place on Earth.

The Amazon rainforest is wet and hot.

The Namib desert is hot and dry.

Our Earth has lots of different types of weather in lots of different countries.We call these weather types climates.

WHAT IS CLIMATE?

02. CLIMATE

Climate change describes a change in the average conditions — such as temperature and rainfall — in a region over a long period of time that poses a challenge for us now and in the future. These changes are a result of human activity and are not good for the planet.

03. Climate Change

However, scientists have observed unusual changes recently. The temperature of Earth has already gone up by one degree. It doesn't seem much, but an increase of 1°C in 100 years is a quick rise. Most of this temperature increase has happened in the past 35 years. Since 2010, we have had five of the warmest years on record.

04. What is today's climate change?

Earth’s climate has constantly been changing — even long before humans appeared.

But what causes global warming?

The part of climate change that is concerned with the rising temperatures of the global climate is called GLOBAL WARMING.

05. Global warming

Greenhouse Gases

It's just like how a greenhouse works. A garden greenhouse is made from glass or plastic which lets in sunlight and heat. Most of the heat cannot escape back out again and it is trapped inside, making it a better environment for plants to grow.

Global warming is caused by greenhouse gases. What do greenhouse gases do?

Planet Earth is surrounded by a layer of air. We call it the sky. Scientists call it the atmosphere.

Outside our atmosphere is a layer of gas that surrounds the Earth. The gases let the sunlight through to warm us up and they keep some of the heat in our atmosphere, making the earth nice and warm. They, then let some of the heat back out into space. It’s like the Earth is wearing the perfect blanket. Not too hot, not too cold. Just right!

06. Main reason for global warming

BACK

The planet is getting hotter and hotter!

Gases in Earth’s atmosphere have the same effect as the glass in a greenhouse, this is where they get their name.

Recently, the layer of greenhouse gases has been getting thicker, like the Earth is wearing a thicker blanket! Less of the heat can escape out into space and more heat is staying in the atmosphere warming us up. This is called the 'greenhouse effect'.

07

The Greenhouse Effect

Cause 3

Cause 2

Humans have been doing things that cause more greenhouse gases, leading to a warmer Earth.

Cause 1

08. What causes global warming and climate change?

BACK

Did you know?

Fossil fuels are burnt to power factories.

Fossil fuels are used to run cars and power homes.

Fossil fuels are burnt in power stations to make electricity.

Fossil fuels are things such as coal, gas and oil.

The trouble with fossil fuels is that when they are burnt, they make CO2, (carbon dioxide) which is a greenhouse gas.

Fossil Fuel Pollution

08. Main cause 1

BACK

More trees would mean less greenhouse gases.

But humans cut down trees for cheap farming, using the wood for fuel, building houses or factories and producing palm oil.

We know that plants and trees take in carbon dioxide and give out oxygen during the process of photosynthesis. This makes them the perfect companions for humans on Earth as we take in oxygen and give out carbon dioxide.

Fewer trees means more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Deforestation

08. Main cause 2

BACK

Fertilisers that farmers use to help plants grow well and pesticides to keep insects away release greenhouse gases.

Farming is important and without it, we wouldn’t have food. However, some types of farming are contributing to global warming because of the greenhouse gases they produce.

Animals, such as cows, release a greenhouse gas called methane as a result of their digestion.

Farming

08. Main cause 3

Animal species becoming extinct.

Extreme weather conditions.

Rising sea levels.

Melting ice caps.

EFFECTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

09

BACK

When ice melts, it turns to water. The melting polar ice caps are causing sea levels across the world to rise.

This means animals, such as polar bears, penguins and seals, are losing their homes.

Global warming is causing ice at both the North and South Poles to melt.

MELTING ICE CAPS

09. Effects of climate change

BACK

The islands of Kiribati in the Pacific Ocean are less than 2 metres above sea level.

As this happens countries with lots of flat land near the sea may be flooded.

If sea levels continue to rise because of global warming, then these islands will disappear! All of the people will have to move away.

As the ice caps melt, it turns into sea water. This means there is more water in the sea and the sea level is rising.

RISING SEA LEVELS

09. Effects of climate change

BACK

Hotter temperatures cause an increase in the evaporation of ocean water, which in turn increases the amount of water vapour in the atmosphere. This leads to more extreme weather, such as bad storms, hurricanes and tornadoes.

EXTREME WEATHER CONDITIONS

Hotter temperatures will result in droughts. Droughts not only mean less water for people to drink but also less water to produce crops for both humans and animals.

Global warming = Hotter temperatures

09. Effects of climate change

As sea levels rise and get warmer, fish and sea birds are moving habitats.

Rising sea levels mean that animals, such as turtles, will no longer have nesting beaches on which to lay their eggs.The temperature of the nests also affects whether the turtles will be male or female. If the temperature continues to rise, more females will be born than males, increasing the risk of turtles becoming extinct.

Polar bears, penguins and seals are in danger from melting sea ice

The oceans absorb carbon dioxide but too much can cause harm to animals, such as coral (removing or bleaching their colour).

BACK

Orangutans are losing their rainforest homes which are being chopped down.

ANIMAL SPECIES BECOMING EXTINCT

09. Effects of climate change

The habitats of some animals are already being affected by global warming

Reuse shopping bags and buy things that have less plastic packaging.

Use less plastic.

STEP

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Eat less meat and dairy.

STEP

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STEP

STEP

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Plant a tree.

Cars pollute the air. Walk or cycle to school.

Use cars less.

Use less water. Have a quick shower instead of a bath.

Don’t waste water.

Switch off the lights when you leave a room. Do not leave appliances, such as TVs and computers, on standby when you don't use them.

Use less electricity.

Reuse what you don’t need any more. Waste less and recycle where you can.

There are lots of things we can do to stop global warming

Grow a variety of plants, trees and grasses to help remove pollution from the air.

04

STEP

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STEP

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STEP

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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

10. What can we do?

STEP

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Supporting people to build more energy efficient homes so less energy is needed.

STEP

Helping less-developed countries become more environmentally friendly, by giving them money.

07

Protecting oceans and coastlines from overfishing and pollution.

STEP

06

Helping farmers to grow crops withoutchemicals.

STEP

05

Making vehicles that emit zero greenhouse gases such as electric vehicles.

Using cleaner energy and electricity sources, such as solar and wind power.

Adopting strict laws to reduce the use of fossil fuels.

What Is Being Done To Combat Climate Change?

Every year world leaders and climate activists come together to find solutions to climate change.

Stopping deforestation to keep forests alive.

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STEP

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STEP

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STEP

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STEP

11. What can governments do?

https://twinkl.gr

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/climate-change

Resources:https://climatekids.nasa.gov