To create the website and interactive tool, a team of climate researchers led by VUB’s BCLIMATE research group combined five different types of data. It used recent simulations of global climate impacts, warming scenarios, life expectancy data from the United Nations World Population Prospects, population reconstruction, and demographic data. In this way, based on the age and region in which a person lives, they can demonstrate the climatic extremes that you are most exposed to due to global warming. You see how droughts, heat waves, wildfires and crop failures become more frequent as the temperature rises by 1.5°, 2.4° or 3.5°C. On the website itself, you will also get more information about the science and calculations behind the numbers shown.
raising awareness
“Our goal is twofold. First, we want to show people, young and old, in a simple way what climate change can mean for them personally. Second, we want to give people the opportunity to share the results on social media. In this way, we want to raise awareness about climate change. between a wide audience and among the policy makers who will gather at COP26 in Glasgow this weekend,” says VUB climate scientist Wim Thiery.
