The signs of a warming planet are all around us and the impacts are already being felt in significant ways. These early signs include increasing ocean acidity, melting glaciers, plant and animal range shifts, increased spread of disease, coral reef bleaching, intensified storms, severe droughts and smoldering heat waves. The following facts are hard to … Read more
The largest source of carbon dioxide emissions globally is the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas in power plants, automobiles and industrial facilities. Carbon dioxide is the major driver of global warming. Although carbon dioxide is produced naturally by volcanoes, the decay of dead plant matter and natural forest fires, almost … Read more
The most common and most important greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. Black carbon is also a potent warmer, although not a greenhouse gas. Carbon dioxide (CO2) This greenhouse gas is present in relatively low concentrations in the atmosphere; prior to the Industrial Revolution, it made up about 0.03 percent of the … Read more
The Earth is habitable because it has a protective blanket of greenhouse gases surrounding it. This blanket traps heat from the sun and allows the Earth to stay at an optimal temperature for life to exist. If this blanket becomes too thick or thin, the Earth’s temperature will respond by becoming too hot or cold … Read more
Since the Industrial Revolution, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere have been increasing (top graph), this has been closely followed by an increase in global temperatures (lower graph). (Robert Simmon/NASA) Global warming is an increase in the Earth’s temperature caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases make … Read more
Oceana campaigns to stop climate change in the following ways: Source Control Oceana is working to prevent a virtually unregulated major source of greenhouse gasses that contribute to climate change — climate pollution from the shipping industry. Oceana is identifying solutions that can reduce emissions of pollutants like carbon dioxide, black carbon and others from the … Read more
The oceans play an important role in regulating the Earth’s temperature. As the levels of carbon dioxide and heat rise in the atmosphere, so do their levels in the oceans. Since the Industrial Revolution, we have added close to 1.5 trillion metric tons of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and the oceans have absorbed about … Read more
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We have already protected nearly 4 million square miles of ocean and innumerable sea life - but there is still more to be done.
Oceana in Europe gratefully acknowledges EU funding support.
