Climate Change

Climate Change
Climate change has caused dramatic glacial retreat. This is Rongbuk glacier in Tibet in 2007.The photo held by our Greenpeace staff is of the same glacier taken in 1968.

Climate change is happening.

Because of man-made greenhouse gas emissions the earth is dangerously warming up. Most greenhouse gas pollution comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal to make electricity.

If we do nothing to stop it, climate change will cause severe water shortages, rising sea levels will swallow cities, and pest outbreaks will sicken people and kill crops.

One of the early signs we are already experiencing is an increase in extreme weather events such as destructive storms, drought and floods.

Climate change is already killing more than 150,000 people every year from disease and extreme weather.
(World Health Organisation
estimation for deaths in 2000).

China’s rapid economic development has lifted millions out of poverty but has come at a huge environmental cost.


An explosive number of factories, coal-fired power stations and massive construction projects have made China, along with the US, the world’s top greenhouse gas emitter.

And with a population of more than 1.3 billion, China faces very real threats from climate change.

Millions will go thirsty:

About 80 percent of the Himalayan glaciers which feed China’s rivers will disappear in 30 years.

Millions will go hungry:

By 2030 some scientists believe the country won’t be able to grow enough food to feed its own people.

Millions will suffer from disasters:

Extreme weather events such as storms, droughts and floods will become common and threaten lives across the country.

Greenpeace is the leading non-governmental organisation in China pushing for stronger policies to fight climate change.

•We are lobbying for China to play a strong leadership role in critical United Nations negotiations in Copenhagen in December 2009.

•We are urging the country to move away from coal.
•And we are working with scientists to map out a feasible plan that China can follow to massively boost its renewable energy sector.