Survive Climate Change: Your Guide!

Can we survive in climate change?

Survive climate change from global warming. This has become the task of a generation. Climate change is the biggest threat to the health and survival of human kind, but our species will survive. As a result of past inaction, the impacts of climate change look increasingly dire.

Indeed, they range from apocalyptic climate disasters, such as scorching bushfires, record temperatures and sea-level rise, which is engulfing our coastal cities.

There are practical things you can do that we examine. However, we are experiencing this problem because of a failure of public policy. Consequently, in addition to individual actions, we talk about campaigning politically for stronger action by government. It is possible to survive climate change – if we act now!

Fossil Fuels and Global Warming

The burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas have dramatically increased the levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide traps heat obtained from sunlight and does not let it dissipate out of the atmosphere.

This process is known as the greenhouse effect. This greenhouse effect is causing considerable increases in the temperature on earth. This global warming is resulting in climate change that is an existential threat to life on earth.

Who will Survive Climate Change?

Sea-Level Rise

Global warming is directly resulting in rising sea-levels. This is due to increasing meltwater from glaciers and ice sheets and the thermal expansion of seawater (as it warms).

Around 40 percent of the world’s population live in densely inhabited coastal zones. In such areas, sea level is playing an increasing role in flooding, shoreline erosion, and hazards from storms. These problems are exacerbated during king tides and storm surge.

Is it too late to stop climate change?

Survive Climate Change Disasters

Climate change is impacting weather and climate everywhere, including heat waves, flooding, droughts and tropical cyclones.

Rising temperatures are increasing the intensity of droughts and wildfires in hot, arid regions. Indeed we have experienced unprecedented floods in Australia, heat waves in India and record bushfires in California. This shows us what we can expect from global warming. However, as the planet becomes even hotter, such disasters will become yet more intense.

With significant levels of sea level rise now baked into the system, it is more important than ever to make greater emissions reductions.

As climate change is a problem for the world an international response is clearly needed. Indeed the survival of human civilisation is now dependent on a stronger international response to this impending threat.

United Nations C.O.P.

The United Nations yearly Climate Change Conferences serve as the formal meeting of the UNFCCC parties (Conference of the Parties, COP).

The Kyoto Protocol signed in 1997 established legally binding obligations for developed countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Subsequently, from 2011 to 2015 the meetings were used to negotiate the Paris Agreement. Indeed this agreement required all countries to set emissions-reduction set targets, known as nationally determined contributions (NDCs). The goal was to prevent the global average temperature from rising 2°C above preindustrial levels. It also set the goal for the world of reaching net-zero by 2050.

The first UN Climate Change Conference was held in 1995 in Berlin, while the most recent C.O.P. was held in 2022, in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt.

Activism to Survive Climate Change

We have now reached the stage where many of us believe protest must include civil disobedience. Indeed this response is in proportion to the increased threat now posed by global warming.

One of the first international climate groups leading the protest against climate change was 350.org. As the name suggests the goal of 350.org was to keep carbon dioxide (CO2) to 350 parts per million — the safe concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere. Unfortunately, due to the lack of early action transitioning away from fossil fuel, the level of CO2 in the atmosphere is now over 400ppm. A new record high of carbon dioxide in the environment was set when the planet recorded 414.72 ppm in 2021.

The largest global group to arise in more recent times has been Extinction Rebellion which was founded in 2018. Extinction Rebellion has by necessity adopted a more urgent approach to protest based on principles of civil disobedience.

Climate Change Links

Below are a number of articles in relation to Climate Charge. Some negative changes to our climate have become unavoidable as a result of a lack of action to limit fossil fuel emissions. Indeed some are already being experienced.

We have also assembled information for you on the risks of extreme heat and other dangers to help you survive in a time of climate change.