CLIMATE CHANGE AND FORESTS

Forests are vitally important as they soak up carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas responsible for
global warming, and help regulate the world’s climate. They’re also home to countless plant and animal
species. We’re working with communities, local governments and businesses to ensure the world’s
forests are protected.

When large areas of forest are destroyed it’s disastrous for the local species and communities that rely on
them. Dying trees emit their stores of carbon dioxide, adding to atmospheric greenhouse gases and
setting us on a course for runaway global warming.

OUR FORESTS WORK

CLIMATE CHANGE AND FRESH WATER

Climate change is having serious impacts on the world’s water systems through more flooding and
droughts. Warmer air can hold a higher water content, which makes rainfall patterns more extreme.

Rivers and lakes supply drinking water for people and animals and are a vital resource for farming and
industry. Freshwater environments around the world are already under excessive pressure from drainage,
dredging, damming, pollution, extraction, silting and invasive species. Climate change only exacerbates
the problem and makes this worse. Extremes of drought and flooding will become more common, causing
displacement and conflict.

In mountainous regions, melting glaciers are impacting on freshwater ecosystems. Himalayan glaciers
feed great Asian rivers such as the Yangtze, Yellow, Ganges, Mekong and Indus. Over a billion people
rely on these glaciers for drinking water, sanitation, agriculture and hydroelectric power.

OUR FRESH WATER WORK

CLIMATE CHANGE AND OCEANS

Oceans are vital ‘carbon sinks’, meaning that they absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide, preventing it
from reaching the upper atmosphere. Increased water temperatures and higher carbon dioxide
concentrations than normal, which make oceans more acidic, are already having an impact on oceans.

Coral reefs are particularly at risk. Sensitive coral and algae that live on it are starved of oxygen, causing
dramatic bleaching and possibly the eventual death of the coral.

If global warming remains on its upward path, by 2050 just 5% of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef – the
world’s largest coral reef – will remain. It’s not only a tragedy for wildlife: around half a billion people rely
on fish from coral reefs as their main source of protein.

OUR OCEANS WORK

CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLAR REGIONS

Climate change is amplified in the polar regions. The earth’s north and south extremities are crucial for
regulating our planet’s climate and are particularly vulnerable to the impacts of global warming, which has
global consequences.

Climate change in the arctic

CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE ARCTIC

Average air temperatures in the region have increased by about 5°C over the last 100 years. Recent
data shows that there’ll be almost no summer sea ice cover left in the Arctic in the next few decades. The
effects won't just be felt by the habitats and species such that rely upon this area - they'll be dramatic in
the entire northern hemisphere.

CLIMATE CHANGE IN ANTARCTICA

The Antarctic ice sheet is the largest single mass of ice on earth, accounting for around 90% of all fresh
water on the earth's surface and spanning almost 14 million sq km. This ice plays a vitally importan
CLIMATE CHANGE AND WILDLIFE

Global warming is likely to be the greatest cause of species extinctions this century. The
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says a 1.5°C average rise may put 20-30% of species at risk
of extinction. If the planet warms by more than 3°C, most ecosystems will struggle.

Many of the world’s threatened species live in areas that will be severely affected by climate change. And
climate change is happening too quickly for many species to adapt.

Here are just a few examples of how climate change may increase the challenges we’re already facing in
our conservation work.

Tigers-Tiger numbers in the wild have declined to as few as 3,200, largely due to poaching and habitat
loss. Climate change is likely to result in increasing sea levels and further risk of fire in the already
fragmented habitats where tigers live.

Snow leopards-Warming in the Himalayas has already occurred at three times the global average. This
is prime snow leopard habitat and continued warming will cause their range to shrink as the treeline
moves higher up the mountains. This will not only fragment and isolate snow leopard populations, but it
will severely affect their prey too.

Asian rhinos-Greater one-horned rhinos live on floodplain grasslands in northern India and Nepal. They
rely on the annual monsoon to bring sufficient and timely rain, to replenish the vegetation they feed on.
But a changing climate could disrupt this seasonal pattern and bring regular droughts or floods.

Orang-utans-For orang-utans in Borneo – which are already at risk because of deforestation, forest
conversion and illegal hunting – one of the first effects of climate change is likely to be food shortages
caused by unusual rainfall patterns. They’re just one of the many species that will be affected.

African elephants-In Africa, changes in rainfall will either bring too much rain – causing floods – or too
little rain – bringing more drought and wildfires. These changes may cause some areas to simply become
unsuitable for certain species to live in. African elephants can drink up to 225 litres of water each day, so
changing weather patterns may mean they have to travel further in search of water – moving outside
protected areas and coming into more contact with people.

Polar bears-The Arctic is warming roughly twice as fast as the global average, causing the ice that polar
bears depend on to melt away. The sea ice is melting earlier and forming later each year. This makes it
more difficult for females to get onto land in late autumn to den, and onto the sea ice in spring to feed. It
means bears are fasting for longer – dramatically reducing their body weight and physical condition and
making it harder for them to survive the summer season.

Adélie penguins-Adélie penguins are ‘true’ Antarctic penguins, meaning they spend most of their time in
Antarctica. But climate change is reducing the amount of sea ice in parts of the continent. One of the
Adélies’ main food sources, krill, breeds and feeds under the sea ice. Reduced sea ice means reduced
food for the Adélie penguins.

Negative effects of climate change

A stable climate is a vital foundation for all life on Earth — but our climate is now changing dangerously
fast, with widespread and harmful effects on people and the wild places we love. Melting ice sheets and
glaciers are adding to sea level rise, putting millions at risk. Heatwaves, droughts and fires are becoming
more ferocious.
We can't wait any longer. It's time to break our remaining ties to the polluting energy systems responsible
for these climate change impacts, and shift to the 100 percent renewable energy future we all want.

Glaciers and polar ice are melting-As the climate warms, glaciers are melting. Yet
millions of people depend on the planet's 190,000 glaciers to supply water in dry seasons.
Arctic sea ice is melting rapidly, a process that further speeds up climate change. On the
West Antarctic Peninsula, massive ice shelves have crumbled into the ocean.

Sea levels are rising, faster-As glaciers and land-based ice sheets melt, they contribute
to sea level rise. This increases flood risk for millions of people on coasts, where populations
and cities are growing fast. Sea levels could rise by a meter by the end of this century if we
don't reign in emissions. For people of small islands and low-lying coastal areas, sea level
rise is already a harsh reality.

Ramped up droughts, floods and other extreme weather-More extreme droughts,

tropical cyclones, forest fires, and intense rainfall are projected for our warming climate.
Many types of extreme weather are already getting worse. Each day we delay action means
more damage to lives, economies and ecosystems.

Climate change ecosystem and extinction threats-From tropical mountain cloud forests
to polar pack ice, we must protect the ecosystems that enrich our lives with beauty and
adventure. But climate change is already causing widespread harm to polar life, coral reefs
and other unique and vulnerable ecosystems. Extinctions will ramp up unless we act.

Air pollution is worse with climate change-Air pollution — already a silent and serious
killer — is set to become worse still under climate change. Yet we can fight both air pollution
and climate change with the shift to 100 percent renewable energy, a hugely important
double win for the health of people and our planet.

What is Greenpeace doing?-Greenpeace is driving the urgent shift away from

the polluting, dangerous energy systems. We're working to accelerate the leap to a bright
new future built on 100 percent safe, clean energy from the sun, wind, water and earth.We
believe it's time to hold big carbon polluters to account. We're also working to stop the flow
of money to these dirty and destructive fossil fuel industries. Instead, we want to make
the finance industry a lever for positive change.And because healthy oceans can better fight
many impacts of climate change, Greenpeace is calling for a network of ocean sanctuaries in
the North Pole and around the globe.
What can you do?

 Find out what Greenpeace is doing to fight climate change where you live.
 Join our Save the Arctic movement and help Greenpeace make a stand for Arctic
protection.
 Support Greenpeace's work to create a global network of ocean sanctuaries.
 Climate change is a global problem, but you can still take important steps to tackle it
in your daily life. Choose your own solutions to suit your lifestyle and your home.