The 3 Crises Climate Change Climate change is a no longer a future threat. But there are reasons for hope. The climate crisis is here. Forests are burning. Oceans are rising. Climate change is no longer a future threat. You are living in it now, as you read this. The main problem is carbon. Deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels release carbon dioxide into our atmosphere, where it remains for up to 1,000 years. This creates a “greenhouse effect” that traps heat. Most of the carbon dioxide released during the Industrial Revolution is still in the atmosphere today – and it’s only getting worse. Studies show we have less than a decade to prevent temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees. Anything more would be catastrophic. As a global community, we are not on track to hit that target. But here at JGIC, there are reasons for hope. Climate Change: Reasons for Hope Share this video with friends and family to remind them that hope for a better world is in their hands. By the Numbers Temperatures 7 of the last years have been the hottest in recorded history. What We Need 1.5° is the bare minimum increase to avert catastrophe. What We’re Facing 2.7° is the projected temperature increase this century. The Convergence of 3 Crises Here’s how climate change connects with biodiversity loss and environmental inequity. Climate change causes increased ocean acidity and different precipitation patterns. These cause massive changes to habitats for millions of species, leading to biodiversity loss. These species are forced to migrate to other areas, changing their roles within highly-interconnected ecosystems that are sensitive to change. Environmental impacts are often caused by those in positions of privilege, but are borne by more vulnerable groups. People who have access to wealth and resources often have a disproportionately large carbon footprint based on their consumption habits. This comes at great environmental cost to marginalized communities in Canada and in other countries. Current and future generations will bear the greatest burdens of climate change, although previous generations have caused it. We have the choice to use the gift of our life to make the world a better place ― or not to bother. Dr. Jane Goodall How We’re Tackling Climate Change Africa Programs Building Community Resilience to Climate Change in Senegal We’re supporting communities in Senegal, particularly women, to implement nature-based solutions to climate change. Photo: Maraîchage-Badiari Learn More Canada Programs Roots & Shoots Youth Program We’re empowering young people to lead their own initiatives that tackle the convergence of climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental inequity here in Canada. Learn More News & Updates Community Spotlight Real progress, and big environmental changes, can start with just one seed — here’s proof Photo: Emily Brady To protect biodiversity and support youth leadership, the St. Albert Public Library in Alberta used funding from our A.P.E. Fund for its new “One Seed, One Community” project. Through the project, 20 Girl Guides learned how native plants help keep local ecosystems alive. They also planted 250 native plants, and they ran […] Read More Champions and Partners Honouring Tradition: A project that’s fostering Indigenous youth leadership and cultural continuity “I knew some things about my culture, but I didn’t always feel confident sharing them. Learning from Elders and Knowledge Keepers […] helped me build a stronger connection to who I am.” Those words come from one of the students in Terrace Bay, Ontario, who took part in the Honouring Tradition project. Through authentic cultural […] Read More From The Field Rebuilding habitats and sustaining communities: Community-led conservation in action in Uganda Photo: David Omoding Dr. Jane knew that the communities living closest to endangered ecosystems are not just partners in conservation. They are the solution. And at the Jane Goodall Institute, we understand this fact, too. In Uganda, the Jane Goodall Institute’s working with refugee members at the Kyangwali Refugee Settlement — which hosts 137,000 people. […] Read More
