AWA REN ESS
THE ARCTIC
The effects climate change is having on the arctic.
This publication outlines some of the most important detaisl regarding climate change, and the effect it is having on the Arctic. Our organisation works towards raising awareness for not only the causes of climate change, but raising awareness for issues regarding the earth and nature in general. All the photographs included were taken by Photographer; Michael Quinn accross areas of Iceland, Greenland and Svalbard.
“THE WAVE.” What is climate change?
The Earth’s climate is driven by a continuous flow of energy from the sun. Energy in the form of heat, from the sun, passes through the Earth’s atmosphere and warms the Earth’s surface. As the temperature increases, the Earth sends heat energy (infrared radiation) back into the atmosphere. Some of this heat is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide (CO2) , water vapour, methane, nitrous oxide, ozone and halocarbons.
“CAVE OF LIGHT.� Why should we be concerned about climate change? The extent of the sea ice in the Arctic reached a new record low in September 2012. Climate change is melting the sea ice in the region at a rate much faster than estimated by earlier projections. The snow cover also shows a downward trend. The melting Arctic might impact not only the people living in the region, but also elsewhere in Europe and beyond.
“THE STRIPE.” What causes climate change? Earth is a very special planet – its orbits close enough to the sun to receive a lot of energy, but far enough away not to be scorched. It is in what you might call the “goldilocks zone”, where the conditions are just right for life as we know it. To help keep these conditions constant, our planet is wrapped in a layer of greenhouse gases. This layer acts like a blanket, keeping the earth warm and shielding it from the cold of universe. This is commonly referred to as the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide (CO2), which, while not the most potent greenhouse gas, is nevertheless the main driver of the greenhouse effect.
“PHASE.� What causes climate change? When fossil fuels - coal, oil and natural gas - are burnt they release CO2 into the atmosphere. Because of this the layer of greenhouse gas is getting thicker, which is in turn making the Earth warmer. Thus the ongoing unlimited burning of fossil fuels is the cause of climate change. In order to satisfy our endless hunger for energy we are buring unlimited quantities of fossil fuels. But, this does not have to be the case, thanks to human ingenuity there are now smarter ways to make energy.
“REFLECTION.� Culprit coal and its influence on climate change. The biggest climate polluter is the global power sector which generates around 40% of all global electricity from coal. We need electricity - but when you take into account the true cost of coal there are much better ways to get it! Weaning humanity off coal will not be easy. There is an estimated 2 billion people with no access to domestic electricity, and recoverable reserves of coal exist in about 70 countries, according to the World Coal Institute, an industry lobby group (the largest reserves are in the United States, Russia and China). Coal is considered a cheap form of energy.
“THE PASSAGE.� The impact climate change is having on not only the arctic, but also in nature. As the average temperature increases, optimum habitat for many species will move higher up mountains or further towards the Poles. Where there is no higher ground or where changes are taking place too quickly for ecosystems and species to adjust, local losses or even global extinctions will occur. As climate change wreaks its havoc across the globe, ecosystems could disappear altogether, or they may undergo serious and irreversible changes, such as those happening to coral reefs. As climate change wreaks its havoc across the globe, ecosystems could disappear altogether, or they may undergo serious and irreversible changes, such as those happening to coral reefs.
“LIFE IN THE ARCTIC.” Why we need to shift the energy paradigm. Four fifths of the CO2 emissions that keep heating up our planet come from burning fossil fuels. This needs to change rapidly if we want to keep global warming beyond a critical danger zone. That means that we need to change the way how people on this planet supply themselves with energy. We need to switch from dirty – coal – energy to clean sources in a high-efficiency world. This requires more than just a technology change: The world will spend US $16 trillion on energy infrastructure between 2001 and 2030. This money must fuel the transition to a clean and efficient energy economy.
AWA REN ESS