What is global warming?
Global warming (or climate change) is the name given to the heating up of the Earth’s atmosphere that has been going on for the last 100 years or so.
What causes global warming?
Virtually all scientists agree that global warming is caused by a build up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases act like a blanket and keep the surface of the earth warm. The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (but others such as methane also contribute). The scientists also agree that this build up is almost certainly caused by human activity – mainly the burning of ‘fossil fuels’ such as coal, gas and petrol.
The scientists predict that even if we were able to stabilise greenhouse gas levels today, the effects would continue for around 40 years and global temperatures would rise by at least 2º. Scientists say that global temperatures could rise by up to 6º by the end of the century. For comparison, the rise in temperature since the last ice age is around 5º. Even a 4º rise will have very serious effects – sea levels will rise, and many coastal areas will be flooded. Scientists say that the maximum safe level is around 2ºC.
What will happen if we don’t reduce our emissions?
If we continue to produce greenhouse gases at the current rate then by the end of this century we are likely to be faced with:
- up to 40% of species worldwide could become extinct including iconic species like the polar bear
- much of north Africa and even Southern Europe could become desert
- rising sea levels and crop failures could create 150 million refugees.
- significantly increased flood and storm damage with some areas of the world becoming uninhabitable and major cities like London and New York threatened.
Are these things inevitable?
No, but we need to act with determination and speed. We need to take firm action to start to reduce our carbon emissions to the level which would stabilise global temperatures – probably by 80% by 2050 (the Government target is 60% but recent evidence suggests that this is unlikely to be enough to stabilise temperatures and that greater reductions may be needed). This is the level of reduction needed to prevent a temperature increase greater than around 2º.
Who creates these emissions?
We all do. Individuals do. Businesses do. Public sector organisations do. About 30% of the nation’s emissions come from home energy consumption. Another 26% comes from personal transport. Businesses and public bodies are responsible for most of the remainder.
We also cause more emissions indirectly – through the processes which are involved in producing the goods we consume. A lot of these emissions actually occur in other countries – like China where the goods are made – but it is our consumption which gives rise to the CO2.
Isn’t the UK contribution tiny?
The UK contributes over 2% of global emissions, with less than 1% of the world’s population. Our emissions per head are 2.5 times the world average. Developing countries can’t be expected to reduce their own, much smaller emissions, unless rich countries like the UK really start to take effective action.