What Do Koalas, Coal, and Climate Change Have in Common?
More than we might think.
That's because when we burn fossil fuels, carbon is converted to carbon dioxide (CO2) and released into the air. Like most things, that's not so bad when it happens in moderation. In fact, during the geological history of the Earth, the level of atmospheric CO2 has varied considerably. And, importantly, a significant amount of this atmospheric carbon was sequestered or (removed from the atmosphere) and turned into inert material (coal, and oil) about 300-360 Million years ago.
Since that time - with all of this CO2 "locked-up" or "stored" in coal buried deep in the earth - our global ecosystems and species adapted to a lower level of CO2 in the atmosphere.
BUT since the industrial revolution (about the time steam engines and railroads came about), we've been burning up all of this "stored" CO2 in the form of coal, oil, and natural gas.
This has the result of releasing energy - which we all use and rely on daily in the form of electricity and fuel for transportation, for example. But it also releases CO2 back into the atmosphere, which when released in large quantities as it has been in our time, leads to hotter global temperatures.
When temperatures across the globe increase, more droughts happen and they last longer, like the ones Australia experienced in 2019. These droughts mean fire season is getting longer and more dangerous and increase the chances of wildfires (often caused when dry bushes are sparked by lightening).
And that's where baby koalas come in, because they are devastated by these fires, along with many other animals and people. While it might feel overwhelming to think about, the way we help doesn't have to be. Yes, we can donate when emergency strikes, but we can also each make small changes to our day-to-day routines: use less plastic, eat less meat, walk or bike more often, etc. Together these changes add up to make a big impact!
Source: Forest Research
