If you could choose anyone in the world to be your special climate hero or role model, who would it be?

Magic Johnson said: “I believe in the power of heroes. What is a hero? There are as many different answers to that question as there are people in the world, and that’s a good thing: we need different kinds of role models for different kinds of people. I personally think a hero is a leader who has a positive impact on people. A hero is someone who acts and through those actions changes the world.” – Tell me your definition of a hero.

A group of students thought it would be great to collect portraits of climate heros from all over the world. That’s what they say: “If we show people that if those local climate heros can make the effort, then anybody can. Let them see that what they are doing is rapidly becoming the norm, not the exception. Your climate heros don’t need to be famous. We’d like to show people just like you and me – with the little difference that they care. The goal is to realize an impressive exhibition of portraits from all over the world.”

a) What are the most important things people in your country need to change in order to become climate heros?

b) Some participants of this projects don’t like the word “hero”. Which other words could we use instead?

In 1992, at the age of 12, Severn Cullis-Suzuki and her friends traveled to 1992’s Rio Earth Summit, where she gave a powerful speech that deeply affected the leaders who heard it. She became known as “The Girl Who Silenced the World for 5 Minutes.” She hasn’t stopped since, starting several groups and projects and becoming a dynamic, luminous light in a new generation of eco-leaders. She says: “Each individual really does count. And the more I've thought about it, the more I've realized that each person is a role model to all the people around us. That's how cultures evolve and things become cool--the influence of a few individuals that catches on.”

What change can YOU make?

We found an article about coral reefs:

Climate change is expected in any case to raise water temperatures significantly. But this new research suggests that it will affect the coral in another way as well.It shows that when CO2 dissolves in seawater it makes it more acidic. And that affects the way in which the coral forms.Reefs consist of calcium carbonate, produced by tiny creatures called coral polyps.Coralline algae "glue" various corals together with compounds of calcium, and other organisms - for example tube worms and molluscs - add their skeletons to the structure.The researchers found that as the CO2 dissolves in the water, the increasing acidity it causes slows down the production of calcium carbonate. It does this by lowering the levels of essential carbonate ions in the seawater. The scientists calculate that the precipitation of calcium carbonate has already fallen by an average of between 6 and 11% since the industrial revolution.And if the atmospheric CO2 level increases to double what it was in pre-industrial times, they think the precipitation will fall by a further 8 to 17%.CO2 is the chief gas caused by human activities that is contributing to global warming.

In Tanzania coral reefs are well developed in many places. Now we fear for their future. What ecosystems are there in Switzerland which are going to be hit by climate change?

The Tanzanian coastline runs approximately north- south and is dominated by three large offshore islands, those of Pemba, Zanzibar and Mafia. Our city Dar es Salaam sits on a natural harbour backed by low hills. It is an important area for many birds. Virtually the whole of the inner harbour from Kurasini to Mtoni was until, quite recently, lined with protective mangroves and supported sizeable populations of waterbirds. It is now badly polluted and degraded. The mangroves of Msimbazi Creek have been largely cleared and are subject to uncontrolled pollution from such areas as the Muhimbili Hospital complex. Remaining mangrove forests should be fully protected and an effort made to rehabilitate those now degraded. Did you know that this is the year of Biodiversity. What has biodiversity to do with climate change?

Imagine that some birds you might have seen in Switzerland come to our place in winter. The area of Dar es Salaam is of major importance to migratory waders from northern Eurasia, supporting about 30,000 birds.

For example Crab Plover, Sooty Gulls, different kinds of Terns, Stints etc.etc.

What happens to them if sea levels rise? What happens to them if wetlands fall dry? What animals are there in Switzerland who will suffer from climate change?

The most common form of public transportation in Dar es Salaam are mini-vans which go by the name "daladala". These vans ply a specific route with the start and ending point clearly marked on the front of the vehicle. You can jump on and off anywhere along the route by simply yelling out, "Shusha!"

a) What kind of public transport is there in Zurich?

b) What do you use more often public transport / the family car or your bycicle?

c) How many families in your class don't have a car?