Weather experts are warning that Sydney could be 6 degrees hotter in ten years due to global warming. This would be catastrophic
to Australia’s flora and fauna, putting many species at risk and would force Australian people to change the way they lead their lives.
Sydney is experiencing its hottest summer on record with the temperature soaring to 45 degrees Celsius on New Years Day 2006. The chance of extreme temperatures like this has doubled according to climatic change expert Dr Janette Lindsay. Previously there may have been a chance of it reaching that temperature once in 50 to 100 years. Now it would more likely to be 25 to 50 years.
The cause of global warming is a layer of water vapour, carbon dioxide and methane that surrounds the Earth like a blanket trapping in heat. The more carbon dioxide there is, the more heat will be trapped. The emission of greenhouse gases is responsible for the build up of carbon dioxide gas.
In Australia the biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions comes from burning coal for fuel, which provided 80 per cent of its electricity. The government has said that at this stage there is no plan to decrease the amount of coal burnt.
The average citizen can help reduce the amount of greenhouse emissions by making small changes to their habits. This includes: -
· Switching to a “green” electricity supplier, which derives its energy from renewable sources such as wind and hydro – power.
· Using energy saving light bulbs that use a fifth of the energy and last ten times longer.
· Buying energy efficient appliances.
· Insulating ceiling, attic and wall insulation in houses to reduce the need to for fuel burning heating and cooling.
· Planting a tree - plants ingest carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
· Consider buying cars that use alternative fuels.
· Reduce hot water use to conserve power.
· Install a solar hot water system.
· Recycle everything possible.
Changes that will occur as a result of global warming include less rainfall resulting in water shortages, severe storms, changes in the migratory habits of some birds, higher temperatures, more bushfires as a result of higher temperatures and lower rainfall, higher ocean levels as polar ice caps melt, and marine life changes as ocean temperatures become higher.