On Wednesday 26th January Anna Luhrmann spoke at the fourth Humanities Department Lecture series.

This was an excellent presentation of the causes and consequences of climate change, its impact on Sudan, the outcome of the December Copenhagen Climate Summit and what we can and should be doing to combat climate change. The emphasis of Anna’s message was very much individual responsibility.

Rushaa “The lecture was very informative and gave me a new insight into the challenges in the push to limit greenhouse gas emissions such as the distribution of responsibility between nations. It was also interesting to learn about the issues that have to be resolved in an international agreement to limit emissions, such as technology transfer to help Less Economically Developed Countries limit their emission whilst continuing economic growth”

Floriane “There are many things I learned, many scary things. For example, Sudan really is facing a 0.75 degrees Celsius increase in temperature, and any temperature increase above 2 degrees Celsius could have a dramatic effect on human beings as well as the environment. The lecture also gave us ways, easy ways, to how we, as individuals, can reduce our carbon footprint”

Anna summarized the outcome of the Copenhagen Climate Conference

Jasmin “it was interesting to hear the opinion of someone directly involved in the political response to global warming. Also to better understand the conclusions of Copenhagen”

Hassan “Copenhagen was not the big breakthrough we hoped it would be”

Anna encouraged us all to plant trees – trees absorb CO2 emissions

Ashleigh “An informative lecture which helped me to realize that it is not only up to world leaders to solve this problem, but that everybody can help to reduce climate change”

Anna provided us with evidence of global climate change around the world.

Darfur, Sudan
“The impact of climate change is considered to be directly related to the conflict in the region, as desertification has added significantly to the stress on the livelihoods of pastoralist societies, forcing them to move south to find pasture.”
(UNEP 2004)

Evidence of weather extremes around the world

 

Anna encouraged us all to look for ways to conserve the amount of energy we use in our homes

…….And to focus on the principle of
“One person - One Emission Right”