Around the world Saturday, environmental activists touted the number ‘350’ as a way to recognize the seriousness of global climate change. It’s not a secret code. The number refers to the concentration of carbon in the atmosphere – meeting a goal of 350 parts per million (ppm), which is considerably less than the current level of 387 ppm. The ‘International Day of Climate Action’ includes more than 4,500 events in 173 countries. Everything from skiers in New Zealand spelling out ‘350’ on a snowy slope to a mass bike ride in Canada to tree planting in Ghana. Here’s an interactive map of the day’s activities. ‘It seems far-fetched that you could get this many people to rally around a scientific data point, but the number just keeps climbing,’ says Bill McKibben, author, activist, and founder of 350.0rg. ‘It shows just how scared of global warming much of the planet really is, and how fed up at the inaction of our leaders.’ Environmentalists see today’s events as a call to action – in the US Congress and at the United Nations climate change conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December. ‘The Arctic is already melting, sea level […]
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
The World Demonstrates Against Climate Change, But US Public Concern Wanes
Author: BRAD KNICKERBOCKER
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
Publication Date: October 24, 2009 edition
Link: The World Demonstrates Against Climate Change, But US Public Concern Wanes
Source: The Christian Science Monitor
Publication Date: October 24, 2009 edition
Link: The World Demonstrates Against Climate Change, But US Public Concern Wanes
Stephan: More on the very alarming decreasing belief by Americans in climate change, shaped in a way that gives it the larger context from which I believe it should be seen.