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FAQs |
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Q: CAN WE REALLY DO ANYTHING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE? A: It is very clear that in order to reduce the effects of Climate change, we need to reduce the output of CO2 into the atmosphere. This can be done through our own domestic energy use and through transport use as well as through the choices made by big business and governments. Most scientific opinion agrees that it is too late to prevent a further raise in global temperature of another 1 degree c over the next 20 to 30 years. However, if we are to prevent much higher temperature increase, we need concrete actions now. Q: IS CLIMATE CHANGE REAL, OR JUST THE LATEST FAD? A: Yes it's real and it is happening right now! There is an enormous body of evidence to prove the reality of the situation. On a factual level we can see an increase in global temperature of almost 1 degree over the last century, including 5 of the hottest years ever recorded in the last 10 years. At the same time sea levels have risen between 10 and 20cm. On a more visual level we have all seen on our news screens the impact of receding ice cover in the artic, the increased severity of storms such as hurricane Katrina which devastated New Orleans (individual catastrophes such as this can not be proved to be purely a result of climate change, but the overall patern of increased storm activity & strengthening winds can be) and also closer to home, the current droughts in Southern England, the mini-tornadoes that have hit the UK this year etc.... Q: IS HUMAN ACTIVITY REALLY CAUSING CLIMATE CHANGE OR IS THIS ALL JUST PART OF A NATURAL CYCLE OF LONG TERM CHANGES. A: There is clear evidence that the earth has periodically gone through fundamental changes in climate, this can be tracked back 400,000 years through a series of Ice Ages and warming. However, whilst natural changes may be having some impact on our current situation, this can not explain all the changes that are happening right now, nor the speed of change. The thickening of the layer of greenhouse gases can be directly linked to the increase in human produced emmissions of CO2 through the burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal etc). This thickening of the layer is clearly linked to a rise in global temperature and other climate changes are a direct result of the effects of this warming. CO2 levels today are over 25% higher than ever recorded and increasing at an alarming rate. Scientific opinion is in an almost unprecedentedly high level of agreement over this. The Al Gore film "An Inconvenient Truth" lays out the science argument very clealy. Alernatively, for more detailed scientific information, try the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change web site www.ipcc.ch or the Inernational Emissions Trading Association web site www.ieta.org/ieta/www/pages/index.php Q: WHAT IS THE DIFFERNCE BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND GLOBAL WARMING. A: To many people Global Warming and Climate Change are the same thing. Global Warming refers to the overall increase in world temperature, however Climate Change refers to the bigger picture of impacts from Global Warming. Whilst average temperatures will rise, some areas will actually see a reduction in temperature. At the same time the impact of higher temperatures on the weather patterns in terms of storms, floods, droughts, etc, etc are much more far reaching and damaging. Q: WILL THE UK GET HOTTER? - ISN'T THIS A GOOD THING? A: The UK clearly is getting hotter. The last decade has seen record high temperatures. Whilst some may think the change to a more mediterranean climate is a good thing, the reality is this would be accompanied by a fundamental impact on our current lifestyles with many negative impacts. There is also a real risk that the UK will not continue to get hotter, but instead may see a major drop in temperature to freezing conditions. The UK is much hotter than other countries at the same northern lattitude. We are warmed by the Gulf stream ocean current bringing warm water from the south up to the northern ice flows where it is cooled. Scientific models predict that global warming may well "switch off" the Gulf stream current and thus see UK temperatures plunge. |
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