Q: why doesnt anyone try to stop the global warming???
ashleigh doneis, Grade 7
Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
A: Many people around the globe are working to 1) better understand and promote awareness of climate change and 2) minimize the impact humans are having on the environment, which may be contributing to global warming. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are two international initiatives geared toward understanding climate change:
The UNFCCC is an international treaty between several countries. Under the convention, governments gather and share information on greenhouse gas emissions, national policies and best practices; launch national strategies for addressing greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to expected impacts; and cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change. http://unfccc.int/2860.php
The role of the IPCC is to assess the scientific, technical and socio-economic information relevant to understanding the scientific basis of risk of human-induced climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation. It bases its assessment mainly on peer reviewed and published scientific/technical literature. http://www.ipcc.ch/
Information about other international cooperation regarding climate change can be found at http://epa.gov/climatechange/policy/internationalcooperation.html.
In addition to the research and information gathering taking place around the globe, there are also many people who are taking action in big and small ways. For example, there are basic things we can all do like recycling and reusing so we have less of an impact on the environment (http://epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/waste/index.html). We can ride a bicycle, carpool or walk whenever possible to cut down on the use of gasoline and thereby reduce our greenhouse gas emissions (http://epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/road.html). And we can also strive to be more energy efficient at home by turning off lights when they are not needed, using more energy efficient appliances, using solar power to heat our homes, and turning off the heater/air conditioner when it’s not really needed.
On a larger scale, there are companies and researchers who are working to develop more energy efficient ways of life. For example, car companies are coming out with more hybrid-engine models. This is significant because American drivers in the United States alone will put more than 300 million new cars on the road over the next 20 years – not to mention other large, developed countries such as Australia. (http://www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/ghybrid.asp).
More and more people are powering their homes and businesses with clean electricity that doesn’t produce air pollution or contribute to global warming. This is possible because scientists are researching and slowly developing affordable, alternative sources of energy such as solar, wind and biomass energy. (http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/renewables/overview.asp).
Across the United States, individual states are developing and implementing a range of programs and strategies to reduce greenhouse gases, improve air-quality and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Read more at http://epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/stateandlocalgov/state.html.
Most of the information I’ve provided you comes from the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Since you are writing from Australia, I would like to refer you to a few web sites where you can find out what people are doing about global warming in your country:
http://www.dfat.gov.au/environment/climate/
http://www.cana.net.au/kyoto/
http://www.cana.net.au/bush/solutions.htm