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Rising Sea Level | A Student’s Guide to Global Climate Change | US EPA

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This page explains how climate change leads to rising sea level, describes observations to date, and identifies key projections for the future.

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Sea level rise comes from warmer temperatures from expanding ocean waters and glacial melt. Higher sea levels cause severe coastal flooding and fuel extreme weather.

Kids Fight Climate Change Team

Sea level rise comes from warmer temperatures both directly and indirectly. Firstly, warmer temperatures cause a phenomenon called thermal expansion . The ocean absorbs more than 90% of the heat trapped by the greenhouse effect, warming the upper part of the ocean. Since warmer waters expand their volume, sea levels rise as oceans warm.

Secondly, warmer temperatures cause snow and ice to melt on land, particularly in the Arctic and Antarctic. These areas have ancient glaciers which contain enormous amounts of frozen water. Land snow and ice are split into two categories: ice sheets and glaciers which are outside of those ice sheets. Warmer temperatures cause these ice sheets and glaciers to melt into the ocean. There are two ice sheets today: the Greenland ice sheet and the Antarctic ice sheet. These ice sheets are massive, spanning thousands of square kilometers. If Antarctica's entire ice sheet were to melt, it would raise the sea level by almost 190 feet (just over 24 feet for Greenland).

If we limit warming to 1.5ºC (which would need major solutions immediately to do), then researchers estimate ice melting would raise sea levels by five inches. But if we stay on our current emissions trajectory (no change in how we act), then it would be double that by 2100 - ten inches. That's a frightening amount because even ten inches will result in much worse coastal flooding.

However, Antarctica is different. Most of the sea level rise is coming from Greenland and glaciers. Antarctica is poised to reach a "tipping point" when warming is between 2ºC and 3ºC (scientists are unsure of when exactly). At this tipping point, a lot of the Antarctica ice sheet will collapse, raising sea level by an additional six inches by 2100.

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Rising Sea Levels | Effects | Kids Fight Climate Change: Youth Climate Education

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Sea level rise comes from warmer temperatures from expanding ocean waters and glacial melt. Higher sea levels cause severe coastal flooding and fuel extreme weather.

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The global average sea level has risen over 7 inches in the past 100 years. A few inches may not seem like much, but every inch of sea level rise covers 50-100 inches of beach. If the ice keeps melting, global sea level could rise more than 20 feet.

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An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to human activity.

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The world uses nearly 3 billion gallons of oil every single day. We use oil to help fuel our cars, trucks, buses, and to heat our homes. Oil is also made into plastics, which are used to make bottles and smartphones. We rely on oil rigs placed in the middle of the sea to drill for oil or natural gas at the bottom of the ocean. When oil rigs break, it causes oil spills that can severely harm- How is the Environment Affected? animals and plants.
Oil and water do not blend well. When there are oil spills in the ocean, oil floats on the surface of the water, which spreads out into a layer that is thick enough to block sunlight from reaching under the sea.

Oil spills are a major reason that killer whales are endangered . The oil may be eaten or enter the whale's blowhole, which helps them breathe. Whales will rise over the water to take a breath but if the blowhole is plugged with oil, the whale cannot breathe.Other marine animals and organisms that swim through oil can ingest it through their gills, which can kill them or affect their ability to have babies.
Check This Out Next: Plastic Litter in the Ocean Will Triple By 2040 if We Do Nothing To Stop It How do we Clean Up Oil Spills?
An oil spill affects the coastline. O il might get stuck to birds and their feathers . Although bird feathers are naturally waterproof , the oil neutralises their ability to repel water and conserve heat and exposes their sensitive skin to temperature extremes. When birds try to clean themselves, they will accidentally ingest the oil that hurts their liver, lungs, and intestines. Feathers are the most important feature of a bird . They allow birds to jump off the ground and soar in the air at speeds high enough to shoot in and out of water. However, these are only possible if a bird's feathers are healthy.

There are many ways to clean a spill. Dispersants , a type of chemical, are mainly used as a clean-up tool. They can break oil into smaller parts and decompose the bacteria living in the water. However, using dispersants may make the environment worse.

Another method of cleaning up oil spills involves placing a floating barrier around the oil and lighting it on fire , but this usually leads to pollution. Using machines to help separate the oil from the water may work, however, if a leak is ongoing, such a machine may not be able to keep up with the rate of contamination.

When animals arrive at cleaning centres, oil is flushed from their eyes and intestines and then they're examined for broken bones, cuts and other injuries. Next, they get a stomach-coating medicine to prevent any more oil from entering their systems.

We can always raise money and make donations to agencies in charge of the clean-ups, such as the National Wildlife Federation. Cutting down on oil use in everyday life is a great way to help. Walking or using a bike instead of riding in a car can make a huge difference.
Featured image by: Florida Sea Grant
Something a city can do is decide to pave its roads with cement instead of asphalt . This way, we can really work together and make the world a better place and see a better tomorrow.

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How Do Oil Spills Affect the Environment? - Earth.Org Kids

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The world uses nearly 3 billion gallons of oil every single day. We use oil to help fuel our cars, trucks, buses, and to heat our homes. Oil is also made into plastics, which are used to make bottles and smartphones.

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Wildfires in the United States have become steadily more common in the last few decades. And while some wildfires naturally occur and help keep forest ecosystems healthy, an astounding 84% of wildfires are caused by human-related activities. Wildfires not only devastate lives and destroy property-they also accelerate climate change.

There is an important link between wildfire frequency and intensity and varying forest management practices. A history of fire suppression, or not allowing natural fires to occur, has led to a dangerous "fuel load", or a buildup in the amount of dead brush and tree debris in many forests. Lack of active forest management can also contribute to a prevalence of invasive species that thrive in current climactic conditions and contribute to unexpected fire patterns. Without forest management to mitigate these conditions, the potential for dangerous fires can mount. Proper management that increases overall forest health (including reducing fuel loads and limiting the spread of invasive species) can decrease the likelihood of damage from catastrophic fire.

Forest management standards that support increasing fire resiliency and awareness (such as those recently added to the updated Sustainable Forestry Initiative's Forest Management Standard), are critical to limit the susceptibility of forests to undesirable impacts of wildfire-and to raise community awareness of wildfire benefits, risks, and minimization measures.

Whether you are in peak fire season in North America (summer), or any other time of year, it's always a great time to make your students aware of the differences between healthy and damaging fire, the natural and unnatural ways fires start and spread, the effect of wildfires on the environment, and how to manage and prevent them.

This article covers these topics and includes classroom activities for all grade levels that will give your students a deeper understanding of wildfires.

Forest Literacy and Wildfire

When planning your wildfire lesson, be sure to check out Project Learning Tree's new Nature of Fire activity collection as well as our Forest Literacy Framework, which breaks down important forest concepts and "Hot Topic" environmental issues (like wildfire) your students should know before they graduate high school.

The Forest Literacy Framework is organized by grade level and has been researched and advised by experts to assist your lesson planning on these complex environmental topics.

Forest literacy activities on the topic of wildfire can help address questions such as:

What role does wildfire play in forest ecosystems?

In what ways does climate change affect the frequency and intensity of wildfire?

How can we manage forests to maximize the benefits and minimize the negative effects of wildfire?

What Environmental Conditions Promote Wildfires?

Climate change has led to more extreme weather in the last few decades, including droughts. Currently, most of the country is in the " most severe drought in recorded history." The hotter and drier the environment becomes due to rising temperatures, the higher the risk of wildfires starting from natural or human-related activity.

Intense heat and dry vegetation readily fuel a wildfire that can burn out of control. And when there's strong wind, it creates ideal conditions for fires to become widespread.

Many forested areas are now experiencing prolonged fire seasons as climate change increases the severity and frequency of wildfires. More than a billion acres are at risk of fire each year in the United States, according to the US Forest Service.

Fire's Healthy Role in the Forest Ecosystem

Like all ecosystems, forests are in a constant state of change. Plant communities change over time in a process called succession. When a fire occurs in a forest, it may clear space and bring in sunlight, resulting in a continually changing mix of species. Project Learning Tree's activity Nothing Succeeds Like Succession, found in our new Nature of Fire activity collection and Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide, is a great resource for helping students learn about natural patterns of change that take place over time in a forest or other ecosystem.

Forest fires are sometimes welcome. Fires that are low intensity and occur naturally are a necessary-and unavoidable-part of what fuels a forest's evolution and health. These fires are mainly caused by lightning that strikes trees or the ground.

Prescribed fire is a planned fire; it is also sometimes called a "controlled burn" or "prescribed burn," and is one of the most important tools used to manage fire and forests today. Prescribed fire clears out fuel sources that would otherwise promote quickly-spreading fire, making the forest healthier and more likely to withstand wildfire season. The heat of prescribed burns also promotes the regrowth and reproduction of some tree species known as pyrophilic trees.

Here are a few incredible ways that fire adds to a forest's vitality:

Forest floor cleanup

Smaller fires can remove and reduce understory grass, brush, and trees that can fuel larger and more severe wildfires. Low intensity fire consumes dead and decaying vegetation and invasive species. It also results in less undergrowth coating the forest floor that could help a potential wildfire spread and completely wipe out the forest.

Healthy fire also destroys smaller or weaker vegetation and sends their nutrients more quickly into the ground. As a result, the stronger trees and plants that stick around get more sunlight and nutrients to become even healthier, enabling their species to evolve.

With fewer plant roots taking up space on the forest floor, more water becomes available for other vegetation and wildlife, and any extra flows into streams and recharges aquifers.

It ensures the survival of species

Certain species of trees and other plants rely on fire to come around every few years for their seeds to germinate.

For example, lodgepole and Jack pine trees are only able to release seeds when their flammable, resin-coated pinecones burst open in extreme heat. Other parts of these plants are fire-resistant so they can survive. Some trees even have flammable leaves to encourage fire since it helps them continue for generations.

Disease and harmful insect removal

Disease and insect infestation kill more trees every year than fire. So, when a fire kills off a harmful bark beetle infestation, for instance, it kills off some of the pests or disease, and gives the forest a chance to recover.

Shelter, water, and nutrients increase

When fire removes thick undergrowth, it clears the way for new grasses and shrubs that provide food and shelter for wildlife. Fire also maintains wide-open meadows that animals like deer and meadowlarks like to feed and roam in.

Fire is an inevitable part of what makes a forest a forest. However, climate change and other human activity has been enabling even naturally-caused fires to occur too frequently and intensely.

Historically, different regions of North America had distinct "fire seasons" when wildland fires were more likely to occur. Conditions such as earlier winter snow melt, drought, and tree mortality from insect infestation have extended the traditional fire season in many areas. Wildfires now sometimes occur year-round, forcing some forest managers to consider the "fire year" when making fire management decisions.

How Does Human Activity Start Wildfires?

A whopping 95% of the fires raging in California are started by humans, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. All it takes is just one spark to kick off a wildfire that spreads over entire forests and multiple states.

This means that all humans-no matter what age-can examine how they contribute to wildfires to advance their prevention.

The following list explains how human activity and equipment can spark wildfires:

Vehicles and tools scraping hard surfaces. Anything that can cause a spark and has the potential to spread outdoors, especially in ideal fire weather, and create a wildfire. In 2018, two massive California wildfires began with sparks caused by a stake hitting the ground in 100-degree weather and a flat tire rim scraping against the road. Some other common causes of wildfires are vehicle collisions, metal mower or weed-whacking blades striking rocks, and chains hanging off trucks that scrape pavement.

Power lines and other electrical equipment. Power lines often break in strong winds, and sparks spread dangerously fast with faster winds and dry vegetation. Outlets and appliances can also spark or overheat and cause electrical fires that escalate.

Campfires. Campfires, especially illegal, unattended, or poorly extinguished ones, have the potential to burn thousands of acres. And if the fire warning is high, that really spells trouble.

Arson. People sometimes intentionally burn property or nature.

Cigarettes and fireworks. People should be mindful to practice safe use and disposal of both cigarette butts and fireworks, as even small heat sources can ignite dry vegetation and lead to huge wildfires.

Wildfire's Unhealthy Effects

Fires that rage out of control have many devastating effects on human, animal, and plant life.

Smoke from large fires negatively affects air quality and can damage the lungs of people thousands of miles away. Wildfire also threatens water quality, destroys animal habitat, and leaves behind stripped land that can easily become eroded and create mudslides.

Wildfires also burn up the carbon stored in trees and soil, releasing large amounts of smoke, methane, and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which increase overall temperatures.

Forests eventually recover from wildfires, but it can take a long time.

How are Wildfires Managed?

The US Forest Service, state agencies, private companies, and individuals who own forestland all help to minimize the likelihood and severity of wildfires with prescribed burning, monitoring natural fires, and removing or trimming unwanted vegetation.

Regular, smaller prescribed burns clear a lot of underbrush that a wildfire could otherwise use as fuel and potentially result in the wildfire becoming too large to manage.

Closely spaced small trees and branches in the understory can also act as ladders that allow fire to spread more easily into the upper canopy. The resulting "crown" fire can become extreme in certain forest types and weather conditions. Pruning and thinning trees that are too close together is another forest management technique that can be used in some areas to help reduce the risk of wildfire.

Firebreaks can also act as buffer zones to stop more modest fires from spreading. They exist naturally or artificially and include large rock outcroppings, roads, bodies of water like lakes and rivers, and canyons.

Forest industry organizations and the Forest Service managing large tracts of forestland employ firefighters on the ground and aerial firefighting crafts to manage both prescribed fires and wildfires. These brave responders step in to fight the more than 73,000 wildfires that burn an average of seven million acres every year across the US.

Help your students learn more about what a wildland firefighting job entails, as well as other green career opportunities that focus on the safe use of fire, in Project Learning Tree's Green Jobs: Exploring Forest Careers guide designed for educators of youth ages 12-25. For grades K-8, check out all the Career Corners in PLT's new Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide that introduce students to forest-related careers, like these:

WILDLAND FIREFIGHTERS protect and maintain the health of the forest by preventing, controlling, and putting out forest fires, and lighting and managing prescribed burns. They may also talk to the public about ways they can help prevent fires.

What Can Individuals Do to Protect Homes and Communities?

Wildfires affect everyone, but we all can play a big part in preventing them! Here's how to prevent wildfires and protect your home and community.

Use Project Learning Tree's checklist to assess wildfire safety in three zones around your home. This Student Page accompanies the Living with Fire activity in PLT's Nature of Fire activity collection and Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide.

Heed Smokey Bear's 5 rules for wildfire prevention:

1. Only YOU can prevent wildfires.

2. Always be careful with fire.

3. Never play with matches or lighters.

4. Always watch your campfire.

5. Make sure your campfire is completely out before leaving it.

And keep in mind the phrase " If it's too hot to touch, it's too hot to leave."

Here are some more tips to help prevent wildfires:

Avoid burning or performing activities that create sparks (like lighting off fireworks) when fire danger is high or when there is an open fire restriction in your area.

Don't burn trash, leaves, or other brush that can easily get carried off on windy days.

Follow all local or park guidelines before burning, and always check firework restrictions.

Keep vegetation cleared away from the fire area and use rocks or campfire rings to keep fuel contained. When burning large piles, you will need to clear away more space.

When grilling, follow these safety guidelines set by the National Fire Protection Association and download their free grilling safety tip sheet. Grills should never be left unattended, and charcoal should be completely cooled off before you dispose of it in a metal container.

Avoid burning highly flammable items like aerosol cans.

Always have a water source ready like a big bucket, hose, or wet towel in case a fire gets out of hand.

Notify local authorities if you witness a wildfire starting. This helpful video gives great tips on how to accurately spot and report wildfire smoke so help comes faster.

Visit the National Fire Protection Association's website to learn what Firewise protocols you can take to keep your home safer from wildfire, and download their free fact sheet. A few measures include choosing fire-resistant building materials, using gravel or rocks versus flammable mulches, and removing flammable materials from under porches or beside your house.

Form a Firewise Site with your neighbors to get your community assessed for fire risk, create an action plan to reduce risks, and follow through. You can share with neighbors what you've learned about fire prevention and how to make homes more fire-safe.

Activities to (Safely) Increase Your Class' Understanding of Fire

Here is a list of engaging activities for your class to teach about the role fire plays in healthy forest ecosystems and fire management. They'll learn how fires are created, how to contain them, how to prevent them, plus what we can do as individuals to protect our homes and communities from catastrophic wildfires.

Learn about plants that depend on fire. Wildland fire can have many environmental benefits, like enabling fire-adapted pinecones to release their seeds. Use Project Learning Tree's Have Seeds, Will Travel activity found in Project Learning Tree's Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide with younger students to help them learn about seed dispersal, including plants that depend on fire for dispersal. Their seeds are tough enough to survive a brief exposure to fire, and they benefit when fire burns away the undergrowth and clears the ground for them to grow.
Grades K-2
What are the three elements a fire needs to burn? In the activity Living with Fire found in Project Learning Tree's Nature of Fire activity collection and Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide, students will learn about the "fire triangle" and how eliminating one (or more) elements can help prevent or control a fire. You'll need a tea light candle or a birthday candle, modeling clay, a glass jar with a lid, and a set of matches.

Teach students the difference between a wildfire and a prescribed fire. From a forest fire probability model to the Plastic Sphere Dispenser, these hands-on STEM challenges include suggested enhancements to use with PLT's Living with Fire activity. Students will delve into the differences between prescribed fire as a forest management tool vs. a wildfire, an unplanned event which often results in landscape devastation. Further resources that go well with this activity include a fire facts Jeopardy-style game and a 13-year case study of fire in the Rockies from Montana State University.

Dig into this list of wildfire prevention lesson plans for information about Smokey Bear and his fire prevention message. Get a feel for what prescribed burns look like through videos, pamphlets, and more resources that take a deeper dive into learning about wildfire prevention and management.
All grade levels
Learn and predict how a changing climate could influence future wildfires with this creative lesson from Natural Inquirer. Students can even devise new technology that they think might fight wildfires in the year 2050.

Challenge students to research ways to make homes in your community safer from wildfires. You could provide them with Project Learning Tree's Wildfire Safety Checklist student page. This version suitable for grades 6-8 accompanies the Living with Fire activity found in PLT's Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide and includes the Career Corner highlighted below. This version for grades 9-12 accompanies PLT's activity The Nature of Fire from Exploring Environmental Issues: Focus on Forests.

FIRE PREVENTION SPECIALISTS work to reduce the risk and extent of forest fires. They may inspect outdoor public and residential areas for fire hazards, enforce fire regulations, and recommend fire prevention measures.

Build a fire. If this kind of field trip is possible, go with your class to a park or somewhere with an established fire ring. You can also work with your school or local nature center if you want your class to build your own. First, make sure you are familiar with Smokey Bear's campfire safety guidelines, heed any fire safety guidelines outlined above in this article, and by your school or location.

Demonstrate how to build the fire, or have the kids gather wood, and experiment with building different cabin foundation s themselves. When you show them the ropes of how to safely build, maintain, and extinguish a fire, children gain an essential skill for life! Celebrate the occasion with hot dogs and s'mores!

Investigate wildfire and ecosystem change. Help young people gain an awareness of fire management, learn about ways to mitigate wildfire damage, and discover changes in our environment with PLT's downloadable Nature of Fire activity collection, which includes three fun activities for educators of middle school students.

Plan an imaginary camping trip. Split your class into groups and task each with planning an imaginary camping trip. What will they need to be aware of, check, and perform to keep their campfire safe? You can also tell them which part of the country they will be in so they can research local weather conditions, restrictions, and burning ordinances. Kids can be creative and take turns presenting their camping fire safety plans in front of the class.

High school activities that support fire education. Explore factors, like fire, that shape the development of forests with Project Learning Tree's Exploring Environmental Issues: Focus on Forests secondary module. Sustainably managed forests can reduce fire risk, advance ecosystem function and provide a range of important benefits, including pest management and clean air and water. Using activities such as PLT's Story of Succession and The Nature of Fire, students will learn about the role of fire in forest ecosystems, and understand why healthy forests are more likely to withstand the effects of wildfire. They'll examine issues of fire in the wildland-urban interface and conduct a wildfire safety assessment in their community.

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All About Wildfires: Causes, Effects, and Educational Activities - Project Learning Tree

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Wildfires in the United States have become steadily more common in the last few decades. And while some wildfires naturally occur and help keep forest ecosystems healthy, an astounding 84% of wildfires are caused by human-related activities. Wildfires not only devastate lives and destroy property-they also accelerate climate change.

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A wildfire is an unplanned fire that burns in a natural area such as a forest, grassland, or prairie. Wildfires are often caused by human activity or a natural phenomenon such as lightning, and they can happen at any time or anywhere. In 50% of wildfires recorded, it is not known how they started.

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Climate change has been a key factor in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in the Western United States. Wildfire risk depends on a number of factors, including temperature, soil moisture, and the presence of trees, shrubs, and other potential fuel. All these factors have strong direct or indirect ties to climate variability and climate change. Climate change enhances the drying of organic matter in forests (the material that burns and spreads wildfire), and has doubled the number of large fires between 1984 and 2015 in the western United States.

Research shows that changes in climate create warmer, drier conditions. Increased drought, and a longer fire season are boosting these increases in wildfire risk. For much of the U.S. West, projections show that an average annual 1 degree C temperature increase would increase the median burned area per year as much as 600 percent in some types of forests. In the Southeastern United States modeling suggests increased fire risk and a longer fire season, with at least a 30 percent increase from 2011 in the area burned by lightning-ignited wildfire by 2060.

Once a fire starts-more than 80 percent of U.S. wildfires are caused by people-warmer temperatures and drier conditions can help fires spread and make them harder to put out. Warmer, drier conditions also contribute to the spread of the mountain pine beetle and other insects that can weaken or kill trees, building up the fuels in a forest.

Land use and forest management also affect wildfire risk. Changes in climate add to these factors and are expected to continue to increase the area affected by wildfires in the United States.

Trends in the annual number of large fires in the western United States

Since 2000, 15 forest fires in the United States have caused at least $1 billion in damages each, mainly from the loss of homes and infrastructure, along with firefighting costs. The 2017 wildfire season was well above average, with deadly fires in California and throughout the West, including Montana, Oregon, and Washington state. The 2018 wildfire season went on to also break records as the deadliest and most destructive season on record in California. NOAA estimates the total costs of wildfires in 2017 and 2018 to be more than $40 billion. In 2019, wildfires caused an estimated $4.5 billion in damages in California and Alaska. Alaska's record-breaking heat and dry conditions over the summer months set the conditions for the state's historic wildfire season. In 2020, five of the six largest fires on record burned in California and Oregon saw historic levels of wildfire spread and damage. Wildfires across the West led to weeks-long periods of unhealthy air quality levels for millions of people.

Wildfire can affect:

Federal and State Budgets: U.S. Forest Service fire suppression expenditures had increased from about 15 percent of the agency's appropriated budget to more than 50 percent in 2017. Nationwide suppression costs in 2017 and 2018 ballooned to $2.9 billion and $3.1 billion respectively, while state wildfire expenditures have also increased substantially.

Public Health: The growing number of people in wild lands is increasing the risk to life, property and public health. Smoke reduces air quality and can cause eye and respiratory illness, especially among children and the elderly. Wildfires that burn in residential areas can melt plastic water pipes and cause contamination of water systems with a known carcinogen.

Natural Environment: Wildfires are a natural part of many ecosystems. Although wildfires produce a number of greenhouse gases and aerosols including carbon dioxide, methane, and black carbon, the plants that re-colonize burned areas remove carbon from the atmosphere, generally leading to a net neutral effect on climate. However, when fires burn more frequently and consume larger areas, as they are doing with climate change, the released greenhouse gases may not be completely removed from the atmosphere if plants can't grow to maturity before burning, or if the plants that re-colonize are less efficient at carbon uptake.

How to Build Resilience

Communities, builders, homeowners, and forest managers can reduce the likelihood and impacts of wildfires by:

Discouraging developments (especially residential) near fire-prone forests through smart zoning rules.

Increasing the space between structures and nearby trees and brush, and clearing space between neighboring houses.

Incorporating fire-resistant design features and materials in buildings.

Increasing resources allocated to firefighting and fire prevention.

Removing fuels, such as dead trees, from forests that are at risk.

Developing recovery plans before a fire hits, and implementing plans quickly after a fire to reduce erosion, limit flooding, and minimize habitat damage.

The Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation portal helps communities understand and plan for their climate risks today and in the future, including a real-time map of wildfire, drought, flooding, and extreme heat across the United States.

For more details on wildfire resilience, read our report, Resilience Strategies for Wildfire.
Learn more about resilience by visiting our Climate Resilience Portal.

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Modeling suggests increased fire risk and a longer fire season, with at least a 30 percent increase from 2011 in the area burned by lightning-ignited wildfire by 2060.

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Marine pollution is a combination of chemicals and trash, most of which comes from land sources and is washed or blown into the ocean. This pollution results in damage to the environment, to the health of all organisms, and to economic structures worldwide.

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The problem with plastic pollution - National Geographic Kids

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Learn all about plastic pollution. How much plastic is in the ocean? Why is plastic pollution dangerous? What can we do to reduce it?

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Marine conservation: largest habitat on earth in danger

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The marine ecosystem is being thrown out of balance because humans are leaving their mark on it. OceanCare is active in marine conservation.

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Deforestation is the purposeful clearing of forested land. Throughout history and into modern times, forests have been razed to make space for agriculture and animal grazing, and to obtain wood for fuel, manufacturing, and construction.

Deforestation has greatly altered landscapes around the world. About 2,000 years ago, 80 percent of Western Europe was forested; today the figure is 34 percent. In North America, about half of the forests in the eastern part of the continent were cut down from the 1600s to the 1870s for timber and agriculture. China has lost great expanses of its forests over the past 4,000 years and now just over 20 percent of it is forested. Much of Earth's farmland was once forests.

Today, the greatest amount of deforestation is occurring in tropical rainforests, aided by extensive road construction into regions that were once almost inaccessible. Building or upgrading roads into forests makes them more accessible for exploitation. Slash-and-burn agriculture is a big contributor to deforestation in the tropics. With this agricultural method, farmers burn large swaths of forest, allowing the ash to fertilize the land for crops. The land is only fertile for a few years, however, after which the farmers move on to repeat the process elsewhere. Tropical forests are also cleared to make way for logging, cattle ranching, and oil palm and rubber tree plantations.

Deforestation can result in more carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. That is because trees take in carbon dioxide from the air for photosynthesis, and carbon is locked chemically in their wood. When trees are burned, this carbon returns to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. With fewer trees around to take in the carbon dioxide, this greenhouse gas accumulates in the atmosphere and accelerates global warming.

Deforestation also threatens the world's biodiversity. Tropical forests are home to great numbers of animal and plant species. When forests are logged or burned, it can drive many of those species into extinction. Some scientists say we are already in the midst of a mass-extinction episode.

More immediately, the loss of trees from a forest can leave soil more prone to erosion. This causes the remaining plants to become more vulnerable to fire as the forest shifts from being a closed, moist environment to an open, dry one.

While deforestation can be permanent, this is not always the case. In North America, for example, forests in many areas are returning thanks to conservation efforts.

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Deforestation is the intentional clearing of forested land.

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In the time it takes to say 'deforestation', another chunk of forest the size of a football pitch is destroyed.
That's every two seconds, every single day.
And we're not including commercially grown trees and plantations. We mean natural, noisy forests that were full of life, and home to threatened species such as orangutans and jaguars.

There's only about half the number of trees on the planet today that there were when humans first evolved. And the fastest rate of forest destruction has been in the past couple of centuries.

Up to 15 billion trees are now being cut down every year across the world. It's just not sustainable, or very smart - for wildlife, for people, or for the climate.

We're fighting hard to stop forest destruction. Years of committed work by environmental campaigners, politicians and businesses is starting to pay off, but there's lots more to do. And we urgently need your help.
Deforestation affects us all, whether we realise it or not.

As well as being stunningly beautiful, forests are vital for the health of our planet. They provide food and shelter for so much of life on Earth - from fungi and insects to tigers and elephants.

More than half the world's land-based plants and animals, and three-quarters of all birds, live in and around forests.

Forests have a big influence on rainfall patterns, water and soil quality and flood prevention too. Millions of people rely directly on forests as their home or for making a living.

But the risks from deforestation go even wider. Trees absorb and store carbon dioxide. If forests are cleared, or even disturbed, they release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Forest loss and damage is the cause of around 10% of global warming. There's simply no way we can fight the climate crisis if we don't stop deforestation.

We need to protect forests now more than ever.

Most deforestation is carried out to clear land for food production. This is not a new thing - for instance in the UK we largely cleared our natural forests centuries ago to create more agricultural land. But now we know the wider damage deforestation can do - and especially at the alarming pace and scale of destruction happening around the world.

The majority of the deforestation is linked to meat, soya and palm oil. Huge swathes of tropical forest are removed so the land can be used for growing soya to feed farm animals like pigs and poultry. All to meet the insatiable global demand for cheap meat.

Even though the damage is mainly done to tropical forests, the causes can be linked to eating habits all around the world - including here in the UK. Our footprint is mainly linked to soya grown to feed British reared animals. So the chicken and bacon in our shops may well be unwittingly contributing to global deforestation.

We help reduce forest damage in a number of ways. We're known for our work with industry and the public to promote more sustainable use of the world's forests.

We co-founded the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), whose tick logo on wood and paper products helps shoppers identify and support sustainable forest management. And we were founder members of the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO), who've improved and expanded the sources of responsibly-produced palm oil.

Plus we helped bring in legislation to prevent illegal timber being sold in the UK. In 2014, dozens of high-profile firms signed up to our Forest Campaign, including Argos, B&Q, Carillion, M&S, Penguin Random House and Sainsbury's. They all pledged their wood and paper would be legally and sustainably sourced by 2020.

We've had our successes, but the challenges keep growing too. We helped reduce deforestation in the Amazon by 75% between 2004 and 2012. But since then deforestation has been on the increase, with the highest rate of deforestation in a decade recorded in 2018.

In an emergency response to the scale and intensity of the current Amazon fires, we've also launched an appeal to support our local WWF Amazon teams working with local organisations to carry out urgent work on the ground.

Our focus right now, based on our expert research, is with 11 'deforestation fronts' around the world - particularly precious and vulnerable forests where we can predict and prevent the worst damage over the coming years. It includes forests in Africa, Australia, Latin America and South-east Asia. We're initiating new projects, supporting existing ones and bringing the right funding to the right action in the right place.

Our ambitious plans aren't just aimed at preventing destruction, but also at 'reforesting' - restoring or replanting forests that have been damaged or lost. We've linked up with two other conservation charities, BirdLife and WCS, for the Trillion Trees project - making a bold commitment to forest protection and restoration. This project will restore 5.2 million hectares of forest in Tanzania by 2030.

There are lots of things we can all do, right now, to protect the world's forests. For instance, choose recycled paper products and look for the FSC 'tick-tree' logo when you're shopping.

But your diet has the biggest impact. If you haven't already, think about moderating the amount of meat you eat, perhaps considering it a weekend treat. And experiment with plant-based ingredients instead - there are plenty of new, innovative alternatives on offer now.

Also, make sure any palm oil in the products you buy is sustainably sourced - it may say RSPO on the label.

And of course you can help by being part of our global campaign to stop deforestation and restore our forests and jungles.

In the time it takes to say 'deforestation', another chunk of forest the size of a football pitch is destroyed.
That's every two seconds, every single day.
And we're not including commercially grown trees and plantations. We mean natural, noisy forests that were full of life, and home to threatened species such as orangutans and jaguars.

There's only about half the number of trees on the planet today that there were when humans first evolved. And the fastest rate of forest destruction has been in the past couple of centuries.

Up to 15 billion trees are now being cut down every year across the world. It's just not sustainable, or very smart - for wildlife, for people, or for the climate.

We're fighting hard to stop forest destruction. Years of committed work by environmental campaigners, politicians and businesses is starting to pay off, but there's lots more to do. And we urgently need your help.
Deforestation affects us all, whether we realise it or not.

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Forest destruction is a crisis for the whole planet. Find out how we can all fight to save our forests.

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Nature and Culture International » Bringing people together to save wild places

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Deforestation and its negative impacts » Nature and Culture International

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What is deforestation? Deforestation is the clearing of trees from large expanses of forest. This process disrupts ecosystems, reduces biodiversity, contributes to climate change by releasing stored carbon dioxide, and often leads to soil erosion and habitat loss for countless plant and animal species. Forests are not just collections of trees; they are vital ecosystems that

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We've all heard of it, but what is climate change and what is it doing to our planet?

So, what is climate change?

Climate change (or global warming), is the process of our planet heating up.

Scientists estimate that since the Industrial Revolution, human activity has caused the Earth to warm by approximately 1°C. While that might not sound like much, it means big things for people and wildlife around the globe.

Unfortunately, rising temperatures don't just mean that we'll get nicer weather - if only! The changing climate will actually make our weather more extreme and unpredictable.

As temperatures rise, some areas will get wetter and lots of animals (and humans!) could find they're not able to adapt to their changing climate.

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What causes climate change?

1. Burning fossil fuels

Over the past 150 years, industrialised countries have been burning large amounts of fossil fuels such as oil and gas. The gases released into the atmosphere during this process act like an invisible 'blanket', trapping heat from the sun and warming the Earth. This is known as the " Greenhouse Effect ".

2. Farming

Believe it or not, cows' eating habits contribute towards climate change. Just like us, when cows eat, methane - a type of greenhouse gas - builds up in their digestive system and is released in the form of... a burp! This might sound funny, but when you imagine that there are almost 1.5 billion cows releasing all that gas into the atmosphere, it sure adds up!

3. Deforestation

Forests absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide - another greenhouse gas - from the air, and release oxygen back into it. The Amazon rainforest is so large and efficient at doing this that it acts like our planet's air conditioner - limiting climate change. Sadly, many rainforests are being cut down to make wood, palm oil and to clear the way for farmland, roads, oil mines, and dams.

How will climate change affect the planet?

The Earth has had many tropical climates and ice ages over the billions of years that it's been in existence, so why is now so different? Well, this is because for the last 150 years human activity has meant we're releasing a huge amount of harmful gases into the Earth's atmosphere, and records show that the global temperatures are rising more rapidly since this time.

A warmer climate could affect our planet in a number of ways:
- Shrinking sea ice
How will climate change affect wildlife?

Climate change is already affecting wildlife all over the world, but certain species are suffering more than others. Polar animals - whose icy natural habitat is melting in the warmer temperatures - are particularly at risk. In fact, experts believe that the Arctic sea ice is melting at a shocking rate - 9% per decade! Polar bears need sea ice to be able to hunt, raise their young and as places to rest after long periods of swimming. Certain seal species, like ringed seals make caves in the snow and ice to raise their pups, feed and mate.

It's not just polar animals who are in trouble. Apes like orangutans, which live in the rainforests of Indonesia, are under threat as their habitat is cut down, and more droughts cause more bushfires.

Sea turtles rely on nesting beaches to lay their eggs, many of which are threatened by rising sea levels. Did you know that the temperature of nests determines whether the eggs are male or female? Unfortunately, with temperatures on the rise, this could mean that many more females are born than males, threatening future turtle populations.

How will people be affected by climate change?

Climate change won't just affect animals, it's already having an impact on people, too. Most affected are some of the people who grow the food we eat every day. Farming communities, especially in developing countries, are facing higher temperatures, increased rain, floods and droughts.

We Brits love a good cuppa, (around 165 million cups of the stuff every day!), but we probably take for granted just how much work goes into growing our tea. Environmental conditions can affect the flavour and quality plus it needs a very specific rainfall to grow. In Kenya, climate change is making rainfall patterns less and less predictable. Often there will be droughts followed by huge amounts rain, which makes it very difficult to grow tea.

Farmers might then resort to using cheap chemicals to improve their crop to earn more money, even when long-term use of these chemicals can destroy their soil.

How are people coping with climate change?

Buying Fairtrade products can help make sure a farmer is paid a fair wage. This means they can cover their costs, earn enough money to have a decent standard of living, and invest in their farms to keep their crop healthy, without needing to resort to cheap methods of farming which can further damage the environment.

This support also helps farmers to replace eucalyptus trees - which take up a lot of water - with indigenous trees that are better for the farmers' soil. They can learn to make fuel-efficient stoves which will not only make them a little extra money, but also reduce the carbon footprint of the community - cool!

How can I help prevent climate change?

Small changes in your own home can make a difference, too. Try switching to energy-saving lightbulbs, walking instead of using the car, turning off electrical items when you're not using them, recycling and reducing your food waste.

All these little things can make a difference. You can check out more eco-friendly ideas, in our kids' guide to saving the planet! Plus, check out our cool article about Greta Thunberg, too, to discover how young people are making their voices heard.

You can download information about Fairtrade and climate change for your school, here! www.fairtrade.org.uk/schools.

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What is climate change: facts for kids | National Geographic Kids

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What is climate change (a.k.a. global warming) & why is it happening? We explain how it affects our planet & how we can prevent it...

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We answer some of your biggest questions!

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Greenhouse gases are trapping more heat in the Earth's atmosphere, which is causing average temperatures to rise all over the world.

Temperatures have risen during the last 30 years, and 2001 to 2010 was the warmest decade ever recorded. As the Earth warms up, heat waves are becoming more common in some places, including the United States. Heat waves happen when a region experiences very high temperatures for several days and nights.

What will happen in the future?

The choices we make now and in the next few decades will determine how much the planet's temperature will rise. While we are not exactly sure how fast or how much the Earth's average temperature will rise, we know that:

If people keep adding greenhouse gases into the atmosphere at the current rate, the average temperature around the world could increase by about 4 to 12°F by the year 2100.

If we make big changes, like using more renewable resources instead of fossil fuels, the increase will be less-about 2 to 5°F.

Why does it matter?

Higher temperatures mean that heat waves are likely to happen more often and last longer, too. Heat waves can be dangerous, causing illnesses such as heat cramps and heat stroke, or even death.

Warmer temperatures can also lead to a chain reaction of other changes around the world. That's because increasing air temperature also affects the oceans, weather patterns, snow and ice, and plants and animals. The warmer it gets, the more severe the impacts on people and the environment will be.

Check out the major effects that higher temperatures have on people and the environment:

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Greenhouse gases are trapping more heat in the Earth's atmosphere, which is causing average temperatures to rise all over the world. Temperatures have risen during the last 30 years, and 2001 to 2010 was the warmest decade ever recorded. As the Earth warms up, heat waves are becoming more common in some places, including the United States.