FAQs
Why is WWF working on Climate Change?
What impact is climate change going to have on species and habitats?
It’s only me! How can I possibly make a difference?
I’ve heard that climate change isn’t real – what’s all that about?
China is building a coal-fired power station a week – surely Climate Change is their problem?
It’s too late to stop Climate Change, so why bother?
Why is WWF working on climate change?
Part of WWF’s mission is to conserve wildlife and habitats, but we also work to improve the natural environment for people so that we might live in harmony with all species on our one living planet.
If we are to achieve this mission, we must address global threats to the planet, such as climate change.
We can’t achieve a One Planet Future without tackling climate change
If everyone in the world consumed resources and emitted carbon dioxide and other pollution at the same rate we do in the UK, we’d need three planets to support us. Obviously, we only have one planet.
Climate change is just one of the consequences of our over-consumption. Put simply - we cannot achieve a one planet future without tackling climate change.
Find out how WWF is working to build defenses against the effects of climate change in key conservation regions.
Find out more about why WWF cares about climate change.
What impact is climate change going to have on species and habitats?
Changes in the climate are having impacts on species that have adapted over time to live in particular habitats and ecosystems. The rate at which climate change is occurring means that many animal and plant species cannot adapt quickly enough, and are finding their environments increasingly hostile.
As the rate of change in our climate accelerates, adaptation will be even more difficult - or, in some cases, impossible - leading to extinctions of some species.
Impacts of climate change vary depending on a range of factors, with some species, habitats and ecosystems experiencing greater vulnerability and stresses than others.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently concluded that a global average temperature rise of 1.5-2.5°C will place around 30% of species at a greatly increased risk of extinction, and cause increased vulnerability and substantial changes to the functioning of some ecosystems.
Other estimates suggest that warming in excess of 3°C by the middle of the century would cause major changes in the world’s ecosystems, leading to even more significant loss of biodiversity
Find out how WWF is working to build defenses against the effects of climate change in key conservation regions.
Find out more about the impacts we face in the UK
Take a look at the World Conservation Union's web pages about species under threat from climate change.
It’s only me! How can I possibly make a difference?
If we work together, we can make a difference. Get on board with us.
To give you one small example; if everyone with gas central heating installed a new condensing boiler we'd save over 13 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – as much as the annual emissions of over 2 million homes.
In the UK, the average person lives as if we had three planets worth of natural resources to sustain their lifestyle. Obviously this is a problem as we only have one planet.
Through taking personal actions to reduce consumption and waste, we have found that individuals can get down to a ‘two planet lifestyle’ – that in itself should tell you that if we all do our fair share, we can make a huge difference! By lobbying government and businesses to change their practices, we should also be able to reduce our over-consumption further so we can live within the natural resources of our one and only planet.
You can help achieve One Planet Future by taking action yourself:
Get on Board the Climate Change Bill campaign – we can’t achieve a one planet future without tackling climate change.
Complete the Footprint Calculator to find out your own impact and tips to reduce it.
Then join our One Planet Future campaign – become an online campaigner to help lobby government and business.
I’ve heard that climate change isn’t real – what’s all that about?
There have been lots of excuses and counter-arguments suggesting that Climate Change isn’t real; from saying that this is all part of a natural cycle since emerging from the last ice-age, to blaming solar activity, to claiming it’s a way to stifle development.
The fact is that the world’s most respected climate scientists agree overwhelmingly that climate change is real, is happening, and that it is due to human activity.
There is a consensus among climate scientists that climate change is real, is happening, and is due to human activity.
Find out more about the International Panel on Climate Change by visiting their website.
You rarely get 100% agreement on anything in the scientific community so in fact the degree of consensus amongst climate scientists that this is happening, and that human activity is driving it, is staggering.
Unfortunately there is an impression that the debate is ongoing due to certain parts of the media giving undue prominence to a tiny minority of climate sceptics. In fact, the scientific debate has moved on and now centres around how serious the impacts are likely to be, what we have to do to minimise them and how long we have to act.
If you want to find out more about the impacts of Climate Change visit our Climate Change website
back to the topChina is building a coal-fired power station a week – surely Climate Change is their problem?
The argument that China, India and other rapidly industrialising countries are a bigger problem in causing Climate Change is more complicated than it may appear.
It’s easy to point a finger and it is true that China and India’s carbon emissions are increasing rapidly with worrying plans to build more and more coal-fired power stations. However, finger-pointing at China and India does not excuse inaction at home.
China’s ‘per capita’ emissions are 3.9 tonnes, India’s are only 1.8 tonnes whereas the UK’s are a staggering 11 tonnes. So on average, someone in the UK produces nearly three times the amount of carbon dioxide when compared to someone in China, and more than five times the carbon dioxide of the average Indian person.
Also, think about where most of the items you buy are made – which is also where the carbon emissions are released. The UK, along with many other countries, has effectively outsourced its manufacturing to countries like China and India – in this sense, we’re getting China and India to pollute the planet for us.
We are still responsible for the carbon emissions that are produced as a result of any product we consume no matter whereabouts in the world it is manufactured. For example if you buy a car, a TV, or a washing machine made in China then you are ‘responsible’ for the emissions resulting from the manufacture in China, its transportation to the UK, as well as the emissions or energy from using it in the UK.
We are still responsible for the carbon emissions that are produced as a result of any product we consume no matter whereabouts in the world it is manufactured.
Clearly the growth of emissions from coal-fired power stations in China and India needs to be tackled. But unless we act, just as many coal-fired stations will be built in Europe and North America - unlike China or India most of the power stations here will replace old units, but this makes no difference at all in terms of the impact on climate change.
Developed countries like the UK have a responsibility to take the lead in developing and implementing the technologies that will allow China to meet its energy needs in a clean way.
back to the topThe UK only accounts for 2% of direct global emissions so surely anything we do is going to be a drop in the ocean?
Due to its economic and political strength, the UK holds a significant position of influence on the global stage.
Firstly many of the worlds’ biggest companies have their headquarters in the UK and they are responsible for huge amounts of carbon emissions globally.
By recognising our historic responsibility and the influence of our global purchasing power, the UK can show true leadership in tackling climate change.
Add this to our place on the international political stage and it’s clear that this adds up to the UK government holding a position of influence and potential leadership in international climate negotiations.
By recognising our historic responsibility and the international impact and influence of our global purchasing power, the UK has the potential to show true leadership in sending out a clear signal for the need for all countries to do their fair share to tackle Climate Change.
The UK is the first country in the world to put long term emission reduction targets into law via the Climate Change Bill. However, currently the targets in the Bill are not strong enough to ensure that, globally, the UK plays its fair share in avoiding catastrophic Climate Change.
If other countries see that the UK is shirking its responsibility, there is less chance they will feel the need to do their fair share also.
back to the topIt’s too late to stop Climate Change, so why bother?
No, its not too late – we just need to take action, and do it soon.
A recent WWF report [Climate Solutions: WWF’s vision for 2050] showed that the world has more than enough sustainable energy and technology to curb dangerous Climate Change, but only if key decisions are made within the next five years.
So don’t give up - Get on Board!
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