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Climate Change Information and FAQs
Global
climate change, caused by carbon emissions from industrialized human
activity, is recognized as one of the most serious global threats
- and it will soon affect each and everyone one of us. Although
travel is inevitable, the impacts from travel activities are one
of the main culprits of climate change. Please read on to learn
more.
What
is the science behind climate change?
What
are the consequences of climate change?
How does travel impact climate change?
How will my money make a difference?
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What
is the science behind climate change?
The earth's atmosphere traps heat from the sun, a natural phenomenon without which the earth would be too cold for humans to inhabit. Human activity generates greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide from burning fossil fuels, industrial processes, and agriculture. These gases add to the atmospheric layer that traps heat.
The massive increase in the use of fossil fuels in the last 200 years has resulted in the gradual increase in the earth's temperature known as 'global warming'. This global warming effect is accelerating. But global warming does not mean that the whole world is getting uniformly hotter since it negatively affects different regions in different ways.
However, the earth's climates and ecosystems are finely balanced, and a small change can have large consequences. The unpredictability of the global climate system to an increase in average temperatures has led to the use of the term 'global climate change' which is indicative of the 'global warming' reality.
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What
are the consequences of climate change?
The
impact of global climate change is expected to be more drastic
than all other natural climate changes that have been documented
over the last 10,000 years.
Consequences are expected to include more hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding rivers, drowning of low lying islands, increased disease, misery and massive global economic disruption. While the regional impacts, magnitude, and rate of change are subject to discussion, it is generally accepted that climate change will:
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Increase the earth's overall temperature, which could alter precipitation patterns, trigger extreme weather conditions, cause a rise in sea levels, and threaten fresh water supplies;
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Change delicate ecosystems, such as mountain flora and fauna, coral reefs, islands, coastal regions, deserts and national parks; and |
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Directly and indirectly affect human health. |
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How
does travel impact climate change?
Travel
and tourism is, essentially and inescapably, environmentally
destructive, particularly with regard to transportation and
it's related global climate change impacts. Air and ground
transportation alone is one of the largest contributors of
greenhouse gas emissions that effects global climate change.
An Oxford-based ecological 'footprinting' company, Best Foot Forward, points out that a return flight from London to Brazil produces 5271 pounds of carbon. This means in this one trip a traveler uses twice the average annual carbon emissions of an average African (2645 lbs), and almost half the average annual carbon emissions per person globally (8818 lbs).
An average American, who takes one or two trips abroad, emits 19,841 pounds of carbon a year. If everyone in the world emitted this much carbon, we would need 2 1/2 planets to support us all. Source: Guardian Unlimited February 8, 2001
For more information about STI's offset portfolios, please contact us or review the web page describing the carbon offset projects we offer.
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