In the twentieth century, the world’s average surface temperature rose by approximately 0.6°C, a rate greater than in any period over the last 1,000 years. 0.5C of this warming occurred during the last decade of the twentieth century. Most of the warming was from 1910 to 1940 and from 1976 onwards. This recent escalation in climate change has been blamed on the build up of carbon dioxide (CO²) and other heat-trapping gasses in the atmosphere that act like a giant blanket around the Earth. This BBC tutorial gives a concise explanation of CO² build up.

In brief, the escalation of carbon gases is caused by an increased release in the carbon stores, without equal storage. Forms of carbon are naturally stored on Earth in a number of reservoirs:

• The atmosphere
• Oceans and other bodies of water
• Limestone and corals (carbonate or CaCO3)
• Fossil fuels
• Living plants
• Dead organic matter

Carbon is continuously cycled between these reservoirs. Plants remove CO² from the atmosphere and store the carbon in roots, stems, leaves and the soil in a process known as sequestration. As plant material decomposes, it releases the carbon back into the atmosphere. Known as the carbon cycle, this process has proceeded naturally for the past 400 million years. However, increasing human development and exploitation of the earth's resources has increased the release of CO² into the atmosphere and has led to the phenomenon of global warming.

Climate change leads to every increasingly extreme weather events including:

• Droughts
• Crop damage
• Floods
• Storm damage
• Adverse weather conditions
• Forest fires
• Melting Ice packs.

The negative effects of these changes fall disproportionately heavily on the poor in developing countries. 

Blue Ventures Carbon Offset was originally founded by Blue Ventures Conservation, an NGO focused on protecting marine environments. Through helping to mitigate the effects of carbon emissions, and by facilitating adaptive behaviours for the changing environment, BVCO began as a way to further the goals of Blue Ventures in Madagascar. We remain committed to the two objectives of protecting environments and their ecosystem, and building up sustainable development projects

Climate change & coral reefs

As ocean waters warm, corals lose their colour -a phenomenon known as "bleaching" -- and eventually die. One recent survey in Madagascar revealed reefs that had lost 99% of their coral cover due to bleaching. Already, 27% of the world’s reefs have been effectively lost, with the largest single cause being the massive climate-related coral bleaching event of 1998 (Status of Coral Reefs of the World 2000, Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network). Some have predicted that 60 percent of the world's coral reefs could disappear by 2030 if nothing is done soon (Convention on Biological Diversity press release 2006).

The loss of corals has a devastating effect on broader marine systems, and the human communities that rely upon them for survival. Coral reefs are home to 25% of all marine species. They provide natural barriers along coastlines, protecting beaches from erosion and communities from storm surges. Products derived from coral reefs have been used to treat HIV and other diseases, and globally 500 million people rely of coral reefs for their food and livelihoods. Climate change is also becoming a leading factor in the degradation of mangroves and coastal wetlands.