1) The number of people affected by climate-related disasters is expected to reach 375 million per year by 2015.
2) By 2030, climate change could push food prices up by 50-90 percent more than they would otherwise be expected to rise, according to a recent report by Oxfam.
3) The United States constitutes 5% of the world population and contributes to 22% of world’s carbon emission. Americans use about 18 millions barrels of oil everyday.
4) Global sea level rose about 17 centimeters (6.7 inches) in the last century. The rate in the last decade, however, is nearly double that of the last century.
5) ‘More than 32 million people fled their homes in 2012 because of disasters such as floods, storms and earthquakes – 98% of displacement related to climate change. Asia and west and central Africa bore the brunt. Some 1.3 million people were displaced in rich countries, with the US particularly affected.’
6) In 2013, a report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirmed humans were the ‘dominant cause’ of global warming.
7) Earth has lost 50% of its wildlife in the last 40 years. ‘Creatures across land, rivers and the seas are being decimated as humans kill them for food in unsustainable numbers, while polluting or destroying their habitats.’ This has been driven by ‘human consumption’ according to the Zoological Society of London.
8) By 2050 we can expect 24 million more malnourished children as a result of climate change. Almost half of this increase, 10 million children, will be in sub-Saharan Africa.
9) The Fossil Fuel Lobby spent $213 Million in 2014 to influence US and EU Politicians.
10) The global fossil fuel sector receives approximately $1.9 trillion in subsidies each year.
11) The fossil fuel industry works to manipulate our perceptions about their actions to prevent climate change.
BP’s Beyond Petroleum campaign – 2005 – $8bn investment in renewables
Analysis from – ‘Newspeak in the 21st Century’ – by Media Lens
– BP investments in renewables actually amounted to 2% of their total investments.
– BP’s Chief executive at the time, Lord Browne of Madingley admitted the company would continue raising its production of fossil fuels as oil and gas for years to come.
‘The campaign is targeting the liberal intelligentsia. It’s not focussed on drivers on forecourts – it’s focussed on changing the opinions of opinion formers. The idea is to being them on side.’
James Marriott, Platform London
12) Atmospheric carbon dioxide is at a record high (Image – Nasa)
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1, 2 & 8 – http://www.wfp.org/stories/7-facts-about-climate-change-and-hunger
3 – http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/
5 – http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/picture/2013/may/20/climate-disasters-displace-millions-worldwide
6) http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/29/earth-lost-50-wildlife-in-40-years-wwf
7 – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24292615
9 & 10 – https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/file_attachments/bp191-fossil-fuels-finance-climate-change-171014-en.pdf
11) Newspeak in the 21st Century – David Edwards & David Cromwell – Media Lens – Pluto Press, 2009
