Module 1 - Climate questions
All illustrations except the background image: © fbw4/Julia Beckel, available under the Creative Commons Licence BY-NC-SA.
Nowadays, everybody is talking about climate
Climate change, or climate catastrophe, or climate crisis – after the recent floods, forest fires and landslides we are sure that also you want to know more "climate change."
It might sound complicated, but we'll explain it in a simple way, in a form of questions and answers, so that everyone can understand. Climate change is important because it affects our world, and we can all do something to help.
Let’s start with the climate questions and answer them!
1. What is Climate Change?
Think about the weather outside. Sometimes it's hot, and sometimes it's cold. That's normal, and it changes from day to day. But when we talk about "climate," we mean the average weather over a long time.
The Earth's Climate:
Our Earth has its own kind of weather, which we call "climate." For a long time, the Earth had a stable climate, which means it had the same kind of weather for a very long time. This was good because plants, animals, and people got used to it.
2. Why is climate changing?
Now, our Earth's climate is changing, and it's getting warmer. 
What happens when it gets warmer?
When the Earth gets warmer, it can cause problems. The ice at the North and South Poles starts to melt, and this makes the sea level rise. This can cause floods in some places. The weather can also become more extreme. Some places get hotter, and others get more rain or snow.
Why is Climate Changing?
The main reason is because people are doing things that make the Earth warmer. One big thing is burning too much coal, oil, and gas. This makes something called "greenhouse gases" go into the air, like a big blanket. These gases trap heat from the sun and make the Earth warmer.
3. Why Should We Care?
We should care about climate change because it can hurt us and the Earth. It can make it harder to find clean water, grow food, and have a safe home. It can also make animals and plants struggle to survive.
What can we do?
The good news is that we all can all do something to help.
In the following modules, you can find many useful tips how to save energy in your household and when travelling, and how to help the climate when you go shopping or prepare food.
But first let’s talk a bit more about the climate, and especially about this question: Is the earth really getting warmer?
4. Is the earth really getting warmer?
Imagine you have a thermometer, like the one you use to see how hot or cold it is outside. Scientists all around the world use big thermometers to check the Earth's temperature. They've been doing this for many years.
These thermometers tell us something interesting. They show that, on average, the Earth is getting warmer. It's not just one or two years. It's happening over many years. This is what we call "global warming".
How do we know?
Scientists look at lots of data, like temperature readings from all over the world. They see that it's getting warmer, and they use this information to understand what's happening to our Earth.
Why is it getting warmer?
One big reason is because of something called "greenhouse gases." These are like a big blanket around the Earth. They trap heat from the sun and make our planet warmer. When people use a lot of things like coal, oil, and gas, it makes more of these gases.
5. How does the greenhouse effect work?
Imagine you're inside a car on a sunny day. The car's windows are up, and the sun is shining. After a while, it starts to feel really warm inside, even hot. That's a bit like what happens on our Earth, but with some special things in the air.
The Earth's Blanket:
Think of our Earth like it's wearing a warm blanket. It is made up of some special gases in the air. We call them "greenhouse gases." The most important ones are carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapour. These gases are like a cozy blanket because they keep our planet from getting too cold.
The sun sends us light and heat. This light is like a big warm hug from the sun. It's good because it makes our Earth just the right temperature for us to live.
6. What Happens Next?
Now, when the sun's light comes to Earth, some of it bounces back into space, and that's okay. But some of it stays here. This is where the greenhouse gases come into play.
Greenhouse gases are like invisible shields in the sky. They trap some of the sun's warmth and keep it close to the Earth. This is good in the right amount because it makes our planet warm enough for plants, animals, and us to live comfortably.
7. Too Many Greenhouse Gases:
But here's the problem: When people burn a lot of things like coal, oil, and gas for energy (like making electricity or driving cars), we make more greenhouse gases. This is like putting too many blankets on our planet. It gets too warm, and that's not good.
When there are too many greenhouse gases, our Earth gets warmer and warmer. This can change the weather, melt ice, and cause problems for plants, animals, and people. 
We call this "climate change," and it's not good for our planet.
What Happens Because of Global Warming?
Hotter Weather / Hotter days and nights! 
Because of global warming, the Earth is getting hotter. This means the days and nights can feel really warm. Sometimes, it can get too hot, and that's not so good.
Crazy weather
Global warming can make the weather go a little crazy. Some places might get too much rain, and others might not get enough. This can make problem for people who face either floods or forest fires. But it makes it also hard for plants and animals to survive.
- Melting Ice:
When things get warmer, the ice at places like the North and South Poles starts to melt. This can make sea levels rise, and water might go where it shouldn't. This can cause floods in some places.
- Hurricanes and Storms:
The oceans are getting warmer too. This can affect sea animals and the places they live. It can also make big storms, like hurricanes, even stronger.
- Harming Animals and Plants:
Plants and animals need a certain kind of weather to survive. When it gets too hot or too rainy, they can have a hard time finding food and places to live. This can make them sick or even disappear.
- Losing Beautiful Places:
Some of the most beautiful places on Earth, like coral reefs and glaciers, are at risk because of global warming. As the Earth gets warmer, these places can disappear.
Why man-made climate change is real?
You might hear some people say that climate change is a hoax. They might say it's not true. But most scientists around the world agree that it is real, and here's why.
Why should we believe scientists?
Scientists are like detectives. They look for clues and solve big mysteries. Climate change is a big mystery, and scientists have been studying it for a long time.
One important thing to know is that scientists from all around the world agree about climate change. They have studied our planet's climate a lot, and they share what they find with everyone.
- Looking at the evidence:
Scientists don't just guess about climate change. They look at the facts and evidence. They use things like weather data, ice samples, and records from a long time ago.
Scientists can also look back in time. They study old things like tree rings and ice cores. These things show that when there are more greenhouse gases, the Earth gets warmer.
- Greenhouse Gases:
One thing they discovered is that only since people have started to burn massive amounts of coal, petrol and oil, the man-made "greenhouse gases" increased. And at the same time the Earth became warmer.
- We can see it happening:
Today, we can see the effects of climate change. It's getting hotter, ice is melting, and there are more extreme weather events like storms and floods.
Thank you for reading!!