Climate Change
Tomorrow's future, today's challenge. Global warming is the biggest threat to life on earth but what we can all do about it?
The Copenhagen challenge
In December 2009, world leaders met in Copenhagen to try and agree on a way forward for tackling climate change.
The outcome of the meeting was disappointing, with only a handful of countries forming a non-legally binding, non-regulated 'agreement'.
In the past 100 years global temperatures have risen by 0.7 degrees Celcius. Scientists believe that human activities which emit greenhouse gases are mainly to blame for this dramatic increase.
Scientific research shows that coral reefs are one of the ecosystems directly affected by increasing levels of carbon dioxide. The gas dissolves into the oceans making the water too acidic for many species of coral to survive.
ZSL will continue to comunicate the science that supports climate change and highlight the implications to species, ecosystems and humanity ahead of the next international meeting in Mexico this year.
ZSL at Copenhagen
Climate change is having an impact on ZSL's conservation work all over the world. To find out more about the damaging effects of climate change and what ZSL is doing to protect threatened ecosystems, visit the ZSL in Copenhagen section
World’s zoos unite over climate change
Zoos and aquariums will become the last places on Earth to see species such as polar bears and coral if climate change negotiations fail at Copenhagen, warns the global zoo community. Read the full press release
Climate Change Campaign
Join the campaign to save the world's coral
Please join our campaign on the science and management of coral reef ecosystems in a changing climate.
In the UK
The UK already experiences one of the most variable climates in the world, making us especially vulnerable to climate change.
Read more
Corals on the EDGE: a message for Copenhagen
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Coral reefs first appeared more than 400 million years ago. We could wipe them out in a comparative heartbeat. This film shows the devastating effect of climate change on the world’s incredible, diverse coral reefs. It paints a disturbing picture of a world that has lost its reefs forever - our world in 2065.
It’s not too late to act: we have a short window of opportunity to make a change. Reducing the level of atmospheric CO2 to below 350 ppm will slow climate change and give coral reefs precious time.
For more information visit: www.edgeofexistence.org
What is Climate Change?
Escalating levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases are trapping more heat in the atmosphere and raising the global average temperature. Read more
Whats the problem?
The Earth is an interconnected system; rising temperatures and climate change affect all of the Earth's ecosystems.
What you can do?
The impact made by climate change will depend upon how successful we are at keeping the temperature increase as low as possible.
As individuals we can all do our bit to reduce emissions to such a degree that our combined actions could have the biggest reducing impact of all. Read more about how you can help.
Predicting change
Find out just how world leading climate research centres predict the likely environmental consequences of climate change. Read more about modelling