Climate change 2021: definition, causes & top 10 solutions

In this whiteboard animation, I explain what is climate change, what causes it and I present the 10 most impactful (and perhaps unexpected) solutions suggested by Project Drawdown.
0:00 Intro
0:38 Definition of climate change
1:03 Causes
2:17 Emissions per economic sector
3:10 Inertia, feedback loops & permafrost
3:52 Implications & risks
4:47 Top 10 solutions
7:57 Final thoughts
Climate change video on Vostok ice cores: • Climate change: unders...
**
I create engaging sustainability videos to learn & teach. More sustainability videos on www.sustainabilityillustrated.com & / learnsustainability
Help us create more videos like this by becoming a patron: / sustainability .
Subscribe to receive the latest videos: alturl.com/jc8u6
Mailing list: mailchi.mp/7080080f1218/susta...
Videos are created by Alexandre Magnin using years of experience drawing and working as a sustainability consultant with businesses and communities: www.amcreative.org
Twitter: / sustain_illustr
LinkedIn: / alexandremagnin
**
Resources & credits:
Project Drawdown table of solutions: www.drawdown.org/solutions/ta...
IPCC website & reports: www.ipcc.ch/
Interview of Katharine Hayhoe on the CBC for the two quotes: www.cbc.ca/radio/sunday/april...
Ice cores & climate change: www.bas.ac.uk/data/our-data/p...
**
Definition of climate change
Climate change usually refers more specifically to anthropogenic climate change, meaning the rapid rate at which the temperature of our planet and its atmosphere have been increasing over the past century due to human activity, in particular since the industrial revolution. It is NOT about individual weather events, although climate change can result in large-scale shifts in weather patterns.
Causes of climate change
Some gases present in our atmosphere make it work like a greenhouse so we call them greenhouse gases (GHG): The higher their concentration, the more they trap heat. This is great for starting your tomatoes during a chilly spring but this is not good for human beings on this planet. These greenhouse gases include the well known carbon dioxide of course but also methane, nitrous oxide, ozone, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs, HFCs), etc. Since the industrial revolution, we have been burning a lot of fossil fuels (such as oil, coal and natural gas), therefore our human activities have contributed to a 45% increase in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide, from 280 ppm in 1750 to 415 ppm in 2019. But there is a correlation between CO2 concentration and temperatures (as we found out in my video about ice cores in Antarctica) therefore as CO2 emissions increase so does the global average temperature on Earth.
Ok, so greenhouse gases cause climate change but more precisely, which sectors are these emissions coming from? The Intergovernmental panel on climate change (IPCC) breaks down our carbon emissions like this. A few things are interesting here. Although GHG emissions and climate change are often pictured as cars and airplanes, you can see that it would be more accurate to draw them as fields, steaks, concrete buildings with heaters and air conditioners and factories building things as these three sectors combined represent about 76% of our global GHG emissions. Although we often talk about emissions, another issue from a climate change perspective is the reduction of carbon sinks, like deforestation which reduces CO2 absorption.
A few things make this a little more complicated. Firstly: The rise in temperature has a lot of inertia, meaning it is not going to stop overnight even if we stopped our emissions today. Secondly: Positive feedback loops: smaller white surfaces on the planet reflect less the rays of the sun resulting in more heat absorption. Also, the hotter it gets, the more air conditioning we use. We saw this is already a major challenge but it is also an opportunity as we’ll see in a minute. Thirdly: the permafrost conceals huge amounts of methane which would act like a climate bomb if liberated.
The implications for us humans are numerous: more catastrophes such as forest fires, hurricanes, tsunamis, draughts, viruses like Covid-19 and sea level rise resulting in refugee crisis, conflicts, loss of crops and biodiversity, diseases and economic downfall. In a 2016 report, the IPCC strongly suggested keeping the global warming under 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels to avoid dramatic outcomes. Even it it does not look like much, 1.5° makes a big difference on planet Earth!

[@learnsustainability]

Which of these solutions are the most likely to fix climate change in your opinion? Please let me know in the comments below... 😊 🔔 Please subscribe if you enjoyed this video alturl.com/jc8u6

[@speakingfingersnetwork]

Family planning and the food related solution explained was an aha moment for me 😃

[@joeanonimous1105]

I've read Project Drawdown, and it is a good treatment. I think that it misses a few key points, though, and not just EVs, though perhaps those are part of Wind and Solar electricity. One is reduction of fugitive emissions of methane. Natural gas is going to be around as a fuel for power and heating for a while, no matter how hard we try to replace it. And increasingly we are discovering that the methane production, transmission & supply infrastructure is extremely leaky. Given methane's potency as a GHG, work to reduce these emissions is low-hanging fruit in combatting climate change. The second area is soil-carbon sequestration. In the biological carbon cycle, soil already plays a huge role, but it could be greatly enhanced by widespread adoption of improve agronomic practices. Finally, much more than EVs or any other option, we need BEHAVIORAL changes, particularly in the wealthier nations, around individual ownership and use of automobiles, including light trucks and SUVs. We need more use of mass transit, ride-sharing, car-sharing, etc. Reduction in personal and business-related air travel would also help, along with transporting fresh produce over thousands of miles in midwinter. We need to learn to live on things that grow NEARBY, even if that means no fresh strawberries in mid-Janaury.

[@leviahimsa]

According to the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted on the topic, avoiding meat and dairy is the "single biggest way" to reduce your environmental impact on Earth. - Oxford University Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, habitat destruction, water pollution, ocean dead zones and species extinction. - United Nations FAO

[@learnsustainability]

Agreed! Thanks for contributing! 👍

[@JennJager]

This was fantastic, I love what you're doing. Thank you.

[@learnsustainability]

I am glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for leaving a comment!

[@kjerstiheyn1519]

Thank you so much for all the informative and creative videoes. You are seriously helping me through my Sustainability Marketing course!

[@learnsustainability]

That's good to hear! Thanks for your comment!

[@carolinasgobbi]

i discovered your channel today and already loved it! my professional goal is to become an architect and, hopefully, help preserving the environment. your videos are really helpful and inspiring!

[@learnsustainability]

Welcome aboard! I'm glad my videos are useful. Thanks for leaving a message!

[@speakingfingersnetwork]

Thank you for the insightful 👌 video as always

[@heypockyway6652]

Thank you so much! Is that John Butler on the picture behind you? Right on 👊

[@roccomalarett5332]

Great Video! thank you very much!

[@annasemenko1109]

Thank you for your amazing effort in creating these videos,

[@learnsustainability]

Thanks Anna! This is very much appreciated :D

[@duanewolgast4165]

How do you not get more views and subscribers? Very good information and in a very simple format! As someone who works as a Solar Consultant, 'Well Done'! Everyone should watch this.

[@learnsustainability]

Very much appreciated, thank you! Views and subscribers on KZbin are a complicated story and they don't tell all the story. Many of these videos are shown in classrooms and on companies' intranets to educate employees.

[@0xdxs742]

When you have a test tomorrow morning. Really helpful by the way Thank you

[@learnsustainability]

Good to hear! Thank you!

[@melaniebigcas3028]

Thank you for sharing this video...It is helpful..

[@juanmendieta6357]

¡Gracias!

[@irinaankudinova527]

Fantastic video, thank you!

[@learnsustainability]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for the feedback!

[@charryjoyalpas8429]

Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas about climate change. It makes us to realize that we need to take action for the better positive changes towards climate change.

[@learnsustainability]

Glad it helps! Thanks for commenting! 👍

[@sketchionic6356]

Great video alex.

[@learnsustainability]

Cheers! Glad you liked it!

[@sachinikaushalya3151]

Thankyou very much ❤ This is a great channel ❤

[@learnsustainability]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@charlieward3809]

Superb.

[@markicam4650]

Briliant

[@noyoutubewithoutgooglereal7514]

I am convinced that not only girls and the climate but everyone would benefit from better education when it comes to sexuality and planned parenthood.

[@learnsustainability]

Agreed!

[@nicolleorsulak6037]

I live in Canada where we use hydroelectricty, is that considered a good alternative? Also does growing your own veggies help? How can we as a family of 5 help? 1 or 2 meals a week that are meat free? Buy only locally produce when available. What about supporting sustainable farming practices?

[@learnsustainability]

Yes. All of these things are great! I live in Canada as well, I try to eat meat only once maybe twice a week, beef only a few times a year, buy local organic food to support the system, local farmers markets, driving as little as possible, buying good clothes, good products that last for a long time. Most importantly vote with your wallet and ballots every time you get a chance 👍🏼

[@thomasrevason2723]

Good morning! As for me, someone in the WORLD is very responsable to amelioration the universe because they are communique. Thanks! Version Malagasy: Salama e! Araka ny hevitro, ny olona tsirairay eto ambonin'ny tany dia tena tompon'andraikitra amin'ny fantsarana izao tontolo izao satria isika ireo dia mifandray avoko. Misaotra !

[@aarononeal9830]

If you are looking for away to help the environment and fight climate change you can use ecosia they are a search engine that plants trees

[@learnsustainability]

I know! I've been using Ecosia for over a year and I love it! Thanks for the suggestion!

[@ajaishyam3643]

Hello Alex I wanted to study more on climate change, do you recommend any online courses or masters program ?

[@learnsustainability]

Hi, several friends of mine did the Al Gore course and enjoyed it but I don't know it myself: www.climaterealityproject.org/training I recommend all the books by Naomi Klein, especially "this changes everything." I did a masters program in "strategic leadership toward sustainability" in Sweden that I highly recommend although not only about climate change www.bth.se/eng/education/masters/msls/

[@ajaishyam3643]

@@learnsustainability thank you so much! really appreciate it.

[@cdmarshall7448]

To have any real understanding of climate from a scientific point of view you need to learn thermodynamics first. You absolutely cannot understand how climate works without understanding how thermodynamics works and that is why so much climate science is in error and AL Gore gets so many things wrong.

[@ajaishyam3643]

@@cdmarshall7448 Hi sorry for the late reply, I'm just seeing your comment now. I have done a few online courses for global warming so I feel I have a rough idea of the thermodynamics of the atmosphere. From which part of the internet do you think I can hone my skills better?

[@cdmarshall7448]

@@ajaishyam3643 It really depends on what your interests are in and you may find they will change once you start delving deeper. The climate itself fascinates me, it is so much more complex than I ever imagined.

[@dianadietz]

Your videos are wonderful, thanks for all your hard work! “The World’s Largest Data Center” has just been approved to be built in my small town. Over 600 acres of mature forest, including wetlands, will be destroyed. As if that’s not bad enough, this area is surrounded by 100’s of single-family homes. I now understand that this data center development is happening globally. Can you please do a video on the enormous carbon footprint of the data center industry? The companies like to promise they’ll build sustainable facilities but insiders call this promise “greenwashing”. I hope you can help raise public awareness so we can all take steps to minimize the environmental damage going forward. Thanks!

[@learnsustainability]

Thank you for your comment! I have several other videos to post before that but I will keep your suggestion in mind 👍

[@d.boogie3691]

I like all your points, on renewable energy , reforestation, and alternative refridgants. I would add Nuclear in that mix (even if some find it controversal). I like your point on food waste, however I disagree on plant-based diets. We are omnivores and need meat. I think it is better to create better practices in agriculture and then make up the different in GHG from other areas.

[@learnsustainability]

Thanks for your comment. I don't think the whole world should go vegetarian, but eating meet everyday is not really good for you.

[@d.boogie3691]

@@learnsustainability Thank you for liking my comment. Regarding meat, I am happy to make the decision for myself to eat meat as much as I want, and I think it is the correct one. Thank you.

[@christopheriaquinta2713]

Is the fact about having more educated Girls actually true and if so, why? I'm not saying this in a derogatory way either, but I'm confused as to why that is the 2nd most important item on the list.

[@learnsustainability]

www.drawdown.org/solutions/family-planning-and-education As mentioned, the video is based on the work of Project Drawdown. You can also read the book if interested.

[@karenreynolds7109]

What organizations are really helping with climate change?

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

Solution ?

[@psychiatry-is-eugenics]

Omega

[@pattiannebishop314]

Love the video, short but thorough. But PLEASE change the part about educating girls on birth control would lead to fewer births. Educate boys too as they are 50% of the equation and should also take responsibility for preventing pregnancy.

[@learnsustainability]

Thank you for your message. I understand where you're coming from but I was listing the top solutions offered by Project Drawdawn and their extensive research. I couldn't just modify it to make it sound more politically correct. Please feel free to send your comment to them and/or read more about their research to understand exactly where this comes from.

[@joshuaroy7]

The sustainability world is wrong on meat. No doubt we need to reduce conventional cattle operations, and reducing food waste for sure, but adopting a 2,250 calorie diet and restricting meat would leave people severely nutrient deficient, and lead to a variety of severe illness as a result. Eating plant based diet requires about twice the calories to get required nutrients, and even then most plant based nutrients are not easily absorbed. Most people eat very little meat already. Grass fed beef is much better for the environment and people. I used to be on the Vegan train until I started having significant health issues. Eating meat requires less calories and you feel much better. It is also better for the environment because cattle does not require premium land like plants do and where trees would typically grow. Don't let misinformed people fool you. Dig into the facts. I highly recommend a book call Sacred Cow for another perspective.

[@learnsustainability]

Interesting comment! Thank you for sharing your perspective!

[@ronniescott5179]

The Climate is changing slightly and fortunately getting warmer and not colder. It is unlikely that we will be able to stop the warming as even if all increases in Co2 in the atmosphere is stopped now the warming will continue Let us look at the benefits of a warmer climate such as more vigorous growth of all plants which will help to turn some desert areas in to green savanna grass lands. Large areas of frozen land will turn in to potential farm land. Some of our large cities will have a tropical climate making life more enjoyable. The likely problems of a warmer climate are well known so we can ignore that possibility here.

[@elisendafc]

You're kidding, right? Millions of people are already suffering the effects of severe droughts, fires, heatwaves...Where I live, temperatures have reached over 40ºC for more than 3 weeks in a row, while the normal average at this time of the year used to be 32-33ºC max. I can tell you this is totally not enjoyable, and the sole idea of water scarcity is a real nightmare.

[@myersmaria]

So, reports today indicated that most of the carbon fuels must remain in the earth if we are to have any chance at avoided the worse of GCC. So, of course, world governments stepped up and put a escalating carbon tax on carbon fuels; stopped the mining and use of coal immediately, ended carbon fuel usage by 10% over the next 10 years in all sectors, and required all new vehicles to be run on non carbon energy sources. If only!!!!!!!

[@learnsustainability]

Yep! I know... it feels like we've been there before but we'll see how that goes...

[@mishixoxo]

I think you meant educate girls AND boys? ;)

[@learnsustainability]

Of course, but worldwide, boys have a more broader access to education than girls.

[@christelleadant229]

@@learnsustainability Not sure there are teached about birth regulation !!!

[@brujulaazul6213]

Sólo faltaba ya que nos digan los hijos que tenemos que tener...

[@thomasbaker26]

Anthropogenic climate change is bad but the greenhouse effect in general is absolutely not bad for humans. If we didn't have a warm blanket of greenhouse gases around the planet, we would all be frozen.

[@303Scott]

Since you seem to know so much about climate change, can you please provide a link to the experiment that demonstrates and measures CO2 induced warming?

[@learnsustainability]

There is not only one link but this one gives a good idea to start with: www.bas.ac.uk/data/our-data/publication/ice-cores-and-climate-change/

[@a.randomjack6661]

You could do the experiment in almost any high school lab. All you need is jars, CO2 (or any other GHG) infrared light aka heat, and thermometers. Any gas molecule with 3 atoms or more is a GHG. Compare with oxygen (O2) or Nitrogen (N2) the 2 major components of the troposphere.

[@303Scott]

@@a.randomjack6661 Let's see it then.

[@303Scott]

@@learnsustainability Just a study that assumes CO2 causes warming. Nothing more.

[@m.carlinefrancois2314]

You really need to be mindful of what are saying!

[@mariedubusdewarnaffe7812]

Merci !

[@learnsustainability]

Merci à vous ! 👍

[@dorincrs3031]

Unfortunately it's a little too late for reversing global warming especially after we started in 2017 cutting down trees in the Amazon forest. Global calamities are already happening all over the planet.

[@learnsustainability]

I hope you're wrong but thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@dorincrs3031]

@@learnsustainability IPCC gave a "Cod Red for Humanity" not long ago, it's sad that we will be remembered as the generation that destroyed the world.

[@PlayingwthCreation]

One life, 20cent for the bullet. Seven billion people, twenty-one billion FIRES per day, to eat. One animal eat nine kg/day, when nine people can eat a kilo each. Two hundred and fifty days for one bull before they kill it. One thousand four hundred 250g servings from that bull. Price for meat should be $1000 a kg, taxed at %90. Gunpowder taxed at %2000. Cooked food taxed at %200.

[@karendomingos]

I really liked your videos, but I have to disagree with how you present point 2, health and education, and family planning are important, but the way you put it on educating "girls" for them to have fewer kids is just pushing the whole responsibility on females, however, females don't make babies alone. The mentality of contraception and family planning must be applied to everyone, men are equally responsible for it. For decades men have been absent from these conversations, totally unaware of the basics of contraception and its effect on women. It is time to share accountability!

[@learnsustainability]

Agreed! 1) This is not my research, it is Project Drawdown, I am merely reporting it; 2) I don't think they suggest putting the responsibility on women, they suggest that supporting women in that way can reduce carbon emissions in the long run.

[@jorgemorones1077]

I'm sorry but I just stopped watching when you used the term "Educating GIRLS" on having less children ... C'mon is 2021 ... Educate population!!! Is everyone's problem, not only girls!!!!

[@learnsustainability]

I understand. I also found the expression awkward but I could not find another way to say it while reporting accurately the research by Project Drawdown.

[@jorgemorones1077]

@@learnsustainability if you found it awkward, just don't use it! Climate change vs Women rights, I'll chose the 2nd every time. that's my opionion, thanks ....

[@learnsustainability]

@@jorgemorones1077 This is an unnecessary opposition. We don't need to choose, we need them both to function properly. Remember this is one of many solutions proposed by Project Drawdown.

[@learnsustainability]

@Sophia S. I totally agree with you but education is not meant in that sense, but rather controlling birth rate and allowing girls to go to school. Please refer to the book and/or the website for more details: www.drawdown.org/solutions/health-and-education

[@ReneeMeyer10]

I realize this is not a new post, but i feel that I need to chime in. We talk about educating GIRLS for several (good) reasons: 1) They need to be taught about birth control, as it still seems to be the women's problem. Possibly education of boys could change that so that boys/men understand they are equally responsible for birth control 2) It has been shown that women save more money that can be used to buy food and education 3) girls need to be educated to become women who can contribute to the economy, political stability and environmental awareness. These are just 3 reasons. There are many more ?😄