Setting the record straight - 10 major changes illustrating our climate is changing

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ow do we know our climate is changing permanently, rather than just going through a normal period of flux? Let’s look at 10 major changes scientists have seen in our climate system to help set the record straight.

Few global trends have been as controversial as climate change and the Earth’s warming. The Earth has gone through many shifts in cooling and warming driven by natural factors like the sun’s energy or variations in its orbit, but the trend scientists have seen over the past 50 years is unmistakable.

Read the Climate Reality Project story - “Ten clear indicators our climate is changing.”

MSSI takes climate training to the Philippines

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elbourne Sustainable Society Institute (MSSI) Professor Don Henry was in Manila last week training Climate Reality leaders from 15 universities around the Philippines.

The Climate Reality Project (CRP), founded by former United States Vice President Al Gore has launched a caravan that seeks to promote awareness about the need to act on climate change.

The Climate Reality Project (CRP) caravan aims to gather grassroots support to encourage world leaders to forge a strong climate agreement during the 21st Conference of Parties (COP21) in Paris come December.

Read the story - “Don Henry involves Filipino youth in climate action”.

Climate change may well be controversial, but it is real

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ew global trends have been as controversial as climate change and the Earth’s warming.

The Earth has gone through many shifts in cooling and warming driven by natural factors like the sun’s energy or variations in its orbit, but the trend scientists have seen over the past 50 years is unmistakable.

Let’s take a closer look: globally, average surface temperatures increased 1.1—1.6 degrees Fahrenheit (0.6—0.9 degrees Celsius) between 1906 and 2005. However, it’s the rate of temperature change that’s especially troubling to scientists; temperatures have risen nearly twice as fast in the last 50 years alone.

Read The Climate Reality Project story - “Ten clear indicators our climate is changing”.

Hans Baer reports on Climate Reality Project Down Under

Beneath the Wisteria
friend, Hans Baer.

Hans Baer is a friend of Beneath the Wisteria.

He is an Associate Professor/Senior Honorary Research Fellow in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne.

In “Al Gore and the Climate Reality Project Down Under: The up market of the climate movement” he writes about an experience with the Climate Reality Project.

Hans, who spoke at last year’s film festival in Tatura, has worked on numerous topics over the course of his career.

He has published 19 books, including four on climate-related topics, and some 180 articles and book chapters.

His latest book is “The Anthropology of Climate Change: A Critical Integrated Perspective” with Merrill Singer and published by Routledge Earthscan in 2014.

He can be contacted at hbaer@unimelb.edu.au.

Climate quotes from 2014

Seven of the best climate quotes of 2014.

We’ll be the first to admit: when you witness the Bah Humbug coming from Big Oil media campaigns, deniers, and ALEC day after day, working to stop climate change can sometimes be challenging.

But the truth is, the volume of their attacks is only increasing because they can see the tide is turning in our favour and sometimes you just need the equivalent of your favourite jam to remind you of the many, many reasons for #ClimateHope these days and get the spring back in your step. So we’ve put together a few of the quotes we keep turning to as the Climate Reality equivalent of “Crazy in Love” below.

John's a poweful advocate for climate change mitigation

John Pettigrew.

Bunbartha’s John Pettigrew is a keen supporter of Beneath the Wisteria, the leader of the Shepparton-based group, Slap Tomorrow, and a veteran of the Climate Reality Project.

John, who has long been a powerful advocate for action on climate change mitigation, went through his original training the Climate Reality Project under the guidance of Al Gore.

This short video clip has been produced to encourage people to register for an upcoming training program being organized by the Climate Reality Project.