What happens if global temperatures rise by more than 2ºC?
Experts predict we’ll see:
acute water shortages for 1-3 billion people – that’s a fifth to three-fifths of humanity
sea levels increasing by up to 95cm by 2100, which will submerge 18% of Bangladesh
40-60 million more people exposed to malaria in Africa
30 million more people going hungry as agricultural yields diminish across the globe.
What does Christian Aid think needs to happen to avoid this?
Rich industrialised countries, the ones most responsible for the emissions that are changing the world’s climate, must commit to cutting emissions by 80% by 2050.
But these cuts need to be made at home, not ‘offset’ overseas. We should not be asking poorer countries to make our reductions for us.
Richer countries need to pay a greater share of the cost of global cuts – on top of the actions they are taking domestically.
Technology that can help cut emissions while still allowing economic development must be made available to poorer countries to produce at a lower cost.
Rich countries have to financially support poorer ones in adapting to climate change.
Developing countries also have to play their part by bringing in emission-cutting laws that can be measured, reported and verified.
What does Christian Aid make of the outcome from Copenhagen?
In a nutshell, Copenhagen failed.
No genuinely meaningful emissions targets.
Inadequate funding for people in poor countries.
Climate justice when? The next steps in our campaign
Diary Copenhagen as it happened
The science bit
On the eve of the Copenhagen talks, Christian Aid climate change experts Eliot Whittington and Nelson Muffuh put together a brilliant piece for the Church Times.
In it, they answer frequently-asked questions about the science behind our campaign, and the chances of deal in Copenhagen.
Church Times A climate Q&A