Mission Climate Change Read Online Free PDF Page A

everyone on the planet …’
    Robert took over. ‘G’day, I’m Robert. I’m only seven years old, but when I’m seventy years old, I want to show my grandkids all the gorgeous creatures that I love right now. I don’t want to have to tell them that because we didn’t look after the planet properly, thousands of fascinating animals, like polar bears, arctic foxes, koalas and even wolverines, are extinct.’
    Bindi gave her brother a hug. ‘So, please, help us work together to change the world for the better!’
    The audience erupted into loud and sustained applause. Terri and Kirsten were first on their feet with a standing ovation, followed closely by the rest of the auditorium.
    The wolverines could feel the excitement in the room. They gave an excited growl, and wound their way around Bindi and Robert’s legs. They sensed these two Australian kids were extra special!

That evening, back at the farmhouse, the friends regrouped around the crackling fire. After the applause had died down, Professor Tikkanen had made his announcement: the Scandinavian countries – Denmark, Sweden and Norway – would joinFinland and Iceland in making a commitment to increase their renewable energy. The group would challenge the rest of the European Union and, ultimately, the rest of the world, to do the same. No-one in the crowd would have known he’d been locked in a freezing lakeside cottage with no electricity only half an hour earlier. It had been an unusual, but very successful first day of the conference, and everyone was looking forward to it continuing. Hopefully, thought Bindi, with a little less drama!
    The group watched various reports of the conference on television, flicking through cablechannels from all around the world. They were thrilled to see that quite a few broadcasts also showed snippets of the kids talking about their plight.
    The protestors, on the other hand, were largely ignored. ‘Do you think Marjo will be disappointed?’ Bindi asked Professor Tikkanen after they turned off the TV.
    â€˜Yes, definitely,’ Professor Tikkanen said with a sad grin. ‘But she has to realise that the tide is turning, and that she will need to join us in our fight to reverse the damage that has been done to the environment by industries such as hers.’
    He leaned over to have a quiet word to Bindi and Robert. ‘I would like to thank you both very much for today,’ he said. ‘Not only have you and your wildlife warriors given your voice to the climate change issue, but your clever detective skills also saved my life.’ He gave them both a grateful hug.
    â€˜You’re welcome,’ Bindi whispered. Then she stood up, holding her hot chocolate high in the air. ‘To the future!’ she toasted.
    Everyone stood up to join her. ‘To the future!’ they chorused.

ANIMAL FACT FILE
    THE WOLVERINE
    Â© Getty Images
    The wolverine is the largest land-dwelling species of the Mustelidae (weasel) family.
    Wolverines communicate through vocalisations and scent-marking.
    The wolverine’s head is broad and rounded, with small eyes and short rounded ears. Its legs are short, with five toes on each foot.
    Males weigh between 11 and 18 kg and females weigh 6 to 12 kg.
    Wolverines live in the northern boreal forests and subarctic and alpine tundra of the northern hemisphere, with the greatest numbers in Alaska, Canada, the Nordic countries of Europe and throughout western Russia and Siberia.
    Wolverines are commonly scavengers, feasting on the remains of large herbivores such as deer, elk, moose and caribou.
    The wolverine has a reputation for ferocity and strength out of proportion to its size, with the ability to kill prey many times its size. Armed with powerful jaws, sharp claws, and a thick hide, wolverines may defend kills against larger or more numerous predators.
    The offspring of wolverines are called kits.

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