2. Definiton of the problem
 water shortage -> influence on food supply
 sea level increases -> islands are endangered
 destruction of mangrove belts and coral reefs
 decline of fishing
 melting of glaciers, decline of snow-covered areas
 extinction
 heat waves
 salinization and desertification of farmland

3. Facts about climate change

4. Definition of the problem
CLIMATE CHANGE
• one of the greatest environmental, social
and economic threats
• Earth‘s average surface temperature has
risen by 0,75 C since 1850
• without action taken temperature is likely
to rise by a further 1,8-4,0 C this century
• North America: yearly increase of
greenhouse gas emissions by 0,9 %

5. The EU
• is working for a global agreement
Target until 2020:
• reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by
20%
• share of ‘clean‘ energy: 20%
• reduction of energy consumption by 20%

6. Reasons for and
causers of
climate change

7. One main reason: Deforestation
Reasons for deforestation:
• governmental
mismanagement and
corruption
• economic development
• ever-widening gap
between the classes
• population growth
• livestock farming
• conversion of forests into
farmland

8. CO2 Emission
• gas responsible for most of the warming is carbon dioxide, also
called CO2 (produced e.g. by cars, industries, electricity
production)

9. Europe
CO2 Emission
• Europe causes about 18,9 % of CO2 emisson of the world
• main causers of CO2 Emission in Europe are:
Germany (21,7%), United Kingdom (10,7%), Poland
(10,4%) and Italy (9,7%)

10. Germany
• 1. Electricity (41 %)
• 2. Transport (16%)
• 3. Industry (12%)
• 4. Households (9%)
• 5. Trade/Services/Agriculture (5%)
• Germany: ca. 3% of worldwide CO2 emission

11. Our Region
• lignite mining in the Rhenish Lignite District
• cattle breeding (methane, deforestation)
• manufacturing (paper industries in Düren)
• industry/trade/transport on the river Rhine

12. Impact of Climate Change
Environmental and health-related:
- sea temperature rise  water expands  rising sea levels  floodings
- melting ice-caps/glaciers  animals threatened, release of ice  additional water in the oceans 
sea level rises  floodings
- precipitation gets more  floodings also in Germany
- increased droughts in arid regions (Africa, etc.)  no agriculture possible
- radical world ecosystem change: wildlife hasn’t enough time to adjust, because changes are too fast
- risk of insect-borne / water-borne diseases in Western Europe
- heat wave 2003: 7,000 victims in Germany; killed 30,000 people all over Europe - enormous heat
waves could become normal!
- because of hot summers and mild winters: danger of insect-borne diseases (malaria, meningitis)
- increase of asthma- & heart-related diseases
- changing rainfalls  prolonged allergy season
- biodiversity could change (increase of temperature and rainfall)
- warmer parts become home to orchids and mediterranean oak trees
- higher temperatures amplify the distribution of tree pests  destruction
of trees & crops
- higher danger of forest fires

13. Impact on…
Economic, esp. German tourism:
- German businesses will lose hundreds of billions of Euro
(coming decades)
- particularly agricultural, tourism & insurance sectors will
suffer
- winter tourism threatened in any mountainous country: up
to 4,5 C increase  snow free resorts  bankrupt owners
most important ski industry
- holiday resorts on German coast will boom
(Baltic Sea & North Sea)

14. Further Consequences
• endangering of world peace
 e.g.: war because of water shortage world GDP decrease:
 panic & insurrections about 5 - 20%
• effects on the insurance branch:
 ecological desasters lead to high material
damages & personal injuries
• environmental refugees
 people are forced to leave their homecountry
because of
ecological desasters (e.g. reduced yields,
crop failures because of droughts & water
shortages)

15. How can YOU help reducing CO2
in your everyday life?
- buy regional products (saves long transports)
- use recycling paper
- confine your water consumption to necessities (with regard to
showers, uses of washing machines, cooking, etc.)
- turn down your heating at night and never use it at full level
- avoid excessive use of the car, instead switch to cycling or public
transport, like busses or trains
- switching off electronic devices saves a lot of energy
-purchase your electricity from renewable or even completely
CO2-free sources

16. Alternative Energy Sources:
Geothermal energy (I)
• high amount of theoretically useable geothermal
resources, but only small amount can be used
• Europe, especially Iceland & Sweden: geothermal
energy ca. 50% of energy supply of the countries
• Germany: geothermal energy extraction increasing
by about 14% per year
• numerous projects still developing, resources in
Germany possibly able to provide 29% of yearly
energy demand

17. Hydroelectric energy (II)
• Use is increasing steadily: 20% of renewable energy
production is hydroelectric (worldwide)
• very reliable; water can be stored -> power supply
can be adapted to need very quickly
• disadvantage: water quality and quantity
downstream can be affected; dams often harm flora
& fauna
• mountainous countries (Switzerland + New
Zealand): more than 50% of the consumers supplied
with the help of hydroelectric energy
• Germany: 5% of the annual German energy
demand covered by hydroelectric power

18. Solar Energy (III)
Pros: Cons:
•Environment-friendly •energy producing depends on
•Can be used everywhere the weather
(e.g.: cars, roofs) •degree of efficiency not high
•People are already • needs much space to be efficient
experienced in the use of it
•solar panels get cheaper
•degree of efficiency is rising
All in all solar energy is very environment friendly and the need
of much space is not such a problem as you can install the
moduls e.g. on your own roof. Especially in the Sahara or any
other place with high solar radiation it would be very efficient.

19. Questions to the American group:
- 1) What do you think are the main differences between our point of view and
yours?
- 2) Have you learned something in the project that has changed your attitude
towards climate change?
- 3) Do you share your country’s attitude and political line concerning climate
change?
- 4) Could you explain to us why so many people in your country believe climate
change is NOT happening?
5) Have recent weather extremes changed people’s attitudes towards the issue?

20. Questions to the Indian group:
1) What do you think are the main differences between our
point of view and yours?
2) Have you learned something in the project that has
changed your attitude towards climate change?
3) Do you share your country’s attitude and political line
concerning climate change? Do Indians in general share this
attitude?