Climate Crisis

Defining Climate Change and its risks

Global Warming…
This cartoon video of a feverish earth explains “global warming” in a very simple way: Greenhouse gases released from burning fossil fuels (mostly CO2) act like a blanket around the Earth.  These gases are getting thicker so our planet warms up, like your body under too many blankets.
 
…Is what causes Climate Change

Global warming causes more than a rise in Earth’s temperature. The still-increasing greenhouse gases also have increased adverse weather conditions of all types, which now daily threaten people, crops and wildlife all across our globe.

Image: Sick earth in distress wearing a blanket with a thermometer in mouth
Click picture to view video: Turn speakers on
Adverse Effects of Climate Change

As these pictures show, damage is already done, and is predicted to increase in the years to come.

Image: Forest fire. Several hectares of pine trees burned during the dry season in June 2013 in Tele-Samosir Lake Toba (Danau Toba) North Sumatra (Sumatera Utara) Indonesia

Monumental and more frequent forest fires due to warmer and dryer weather

Image: Drought parched land with surface cracked and no plant life possible.

Droughts caused by changes in weather, moving rain away from once-verdant landscapes

Image: Severely flooded river after heavy rain in Pakse, Southern Laos

Floods caused by increased rainfall in other areas

Tipping points

The adverse effects above are nothing compared to predicted environmental “tipping points” – effects that will not be reversible.

What is a “tipping point”? Consider what happens with a wine glass. If you push on its side it eventually falls over, spilling wine on the table. Even if you stand the glass back up wine is still left on the table. There is no way to get back to the initial full glass of wine.

Image: Tipped over wine glass
One current climate tipping point is the melting permafrost in the Arctic. As the permafrost melts, organic matter – dead plants and animals that have been frozen for millennia – are exposed to the warmth of the sun. They then decompose and emit their own greenhouse gases, adding to the planet’s burden. As each of these tipping points are reached, they gather speed like a runaway train. Soon the changes may accelerate beyond humans’ ability to return the Earth to its former condition. Climate conditions may change in such a way that the earth may no longer be habitable by humans.  This could indeed spell the end of the human race.

What can AofV do to help?

The volunteers of Army of Volunteers for Earth come from a variety of backgrounds, but most have strong skills in engineering or science. They all are passionate about solving the climate crisis. They come from a large number of countries and are well placed to promote technologies and companies in their home countries.

Through our volunteers or our network, here’s how we aim to help:

  1. Recruit companies with technologies that combat the climate crisis to be our partners
  2. Work out business models for promoting our technology partners
  3. Recruit environmental organizations to be our marketing partners in many countries
  4. Bring investors and grant organizations into our network
  5. Use our network of marketing and funding organizations to propel our technology partners to a global market, so they can make an impact on the climate crisis sooner, rather than later.
Learn how our volunteers work to solve the Climate Change Crisis

Visit the Climate Change Solutions section to learn more:

Climate Solutions Home |  Global Work on Climate  |  Circular Economy |  AofV Climate Strategy  |  Technologies AofV Supports