Drag the words into the correct boxes
There’s a difference between climate and weather: Weather fluctuates day in, day out, whereas climate refers to long term trends—and the overall trend is clearly and indisputably a warming one. While the impacts of climate change have only just begun to hit the Global North, farmers in the tropics have been contending with impacts—from droughts to floods to a proliferation of crop-destroying pests—for years.
It’s true that there have been periods of global warming and cooling—also related to spikes and lulls in greenhouse gases—during the Earth’s long history. But those historic increases in CO2 should be a warning to us: They led to serious environmental disruptions, including mass extinctions. Today, humans are emitting greenhouse gases at a far higher rate than any previous increase in history.
Wrong. There is nearly 100 percent agreement among scientists. Moreover, the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says that global warming is accelerating, and will reach 1.C above pre-Industrial levels around 2030—a full decade earlier than previously forecast.
Wrong again. Because human-caused climate change is happening so rapidly, species simply don’t have time to adapt. Frogs tell the story best: With their semi-permeable skin, unprotected eggs, and reliance on external temperatures to regulate their own, they are often among the first species to die off when ecosystems tip out of balance—and they’re dying off in droves.
The evidence points to a clear link between climate change and a surge in modern slavery: When crop failures, drought, floods, or fires wipe out livelihoods and homes, people migrate in the hopes of improving their lot—but can find themselves vulnerable to human trafficking and forced labor and other human rights abuses.
If governments, business, and individuals begin taking drastic action now, we can keep warming within the 1.5C target set by the Paris Agreement. There are actions you can take —both to make your daily life more sustainable and to push governments and companies to act—to secure a better future. “There’s no consensus among scientists that climate change is real.”1 of 6 draggables.
“This is the coldest winter we’ve had in years! So much for global warming.”2 of 6 draggables.
“OK, maybe climate change is real, but there’s nothing to be done—it’s too late.”3 of 6 draggables.
“Plants and animals can adapt.”4 of 6 draggables.
“Climate change is natural and normal—it’s happened at other points in history.”5 of 6 draggables.
“Climate change is good for us.”6 of 6 draggables.