Climate Change
Climate change is one of the biggest challenges the human race faces today. The first step towards tackling the problem is to make sure everyone understands exactly what the challenge is and the difference they can make.
What is Climate Change?
Our planet is surrounded by a blanket of gases which keeps the surface of the earth warm and able to sustain life. This blanket is getting thicker, trapping in heat as we release greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuels for energy as we cut down forests and replace them with agricultural land. As a result, our climate is starting to change.
There is strong and indisputable evidence that climate change is happening and that man-made emissions (the main greenhouse gas that causes climate change is carbon dioxide) are the main cause of it. The ten warmest years globally since formal records began in 1861 have all occurred since 1994. If left unchecked, climate change will have profound impacts on our societies and way of life, affecting agriculture and food security, leading to water shortages, triggering population movements and impacting on our economies, and our security. Action is needed now.
What are the main effects ?
Even if we stop burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests today, the world's climate will still warm in years to come. There is a time lag between when the emissions occur and when we begin to feel their effects. We have yet to experience the impact of the greenhouse gas emissions from the last 30–40 years.
Scientists have identified some of the likely effects of this warming.
- Some regions will experience more extreme rainfall while others will experience drought.
- The sea level could rise by more than 40 centimetres by the end of the century, as the water in the oceans warms and the polar caps and ice from glaciers melt into the sea. This will completely swamp some small, low-lying island states and put millions of people in low-lying areas at risk.
- There will be less water available for irrigation and drinking because there will be less rain, and salt from rising sea levels will contaminate ground water in coastal areas. Droughts are likely to be more frequent.
- As temperatures increase and rainfall patterns change, cereal crop yields are expected to drop significantly in Africa, the Middle East and India. The areas that harbour diseases such as malaria, West Nile disease, dengue fever and river blindness will shift.
- Higher temperatures and reduced rainfall could mean the loss of large areas of Brazilian and southern African rainforest, in addition to the forest that we are cutting down to clear land for agriculture. These forests currently act as a 'sink' by absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide which would otherwise be released into the atmosphere.
What is the UK doing internally?
The UK has already taken significant steps to meet this challenge and is one of very few countries on track to meet the Kyoto Protocol's commitment to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2008-12.
Some of the most important steps taken are:
- the UK has set itself a more challenging domestic target to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010;
- to support electricity generation from renewable sources, under the Renewables Obligation;
- continue to use the climate change levy and associated climate change agreements to encourage businesses to improve the efficiency with which they use energy;
- introduce the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation from 2008 to increase the uptake of biofuels and to work effectively to achieve further commitments from vehicle manufacturers to improve fuel efficiency;
- continue to promote carbon offsetting and lead by example to offset emissions arising from central government air travel;
- continue to take forward significant improvements already made and update the Building Regulation in April 2006 to raise energy standards of new build and refurbished buildings, and to strengthen consumer demand for energy efficiency;
- promote resource efficient farm management in order to reduce agriculture's contribution to greenhouse gas emissions.
And to encourage personal action in the UK the government will:
- introduce further measures and initiatives to encourage and enable individuals to understand their role and responsibility in tackling climate change;
- continue to support the essential work of the Energy Saving Trust and Carbon Trust and other organisations that provide information and advice to individuals, businesses and local authorities;
- establish a new online information service (working title: Environment Direct) to provide information on the environmental impact of a range of everyday products and services, and practical advice on sustainable lifestyle choices
- provide up to £4m over three years to roll out a new package of measures to help thousands of community groups across England to take action on sustainable development, including climate change;
- enhance the new Climate Change Communications Initiative, to change public attitudes toward climate change, primarily at local, grass roots and regional level.
What is the UK doing internationally?
The UK has already taken a strong lead internationally on climate change, through:
- playing a major role in the past negotiation of the Kyoto Treaty.
- taking an international policy lead, through the Climate Change Levy and UK Emissions Trading Scheme.
- in 2005 climate change was taken to a new level, through the UK Presidencies of both the G8 and EU. Crucially, the G8 countries agreed to a new dialogue with the leaders of China, India, Brazil and other emerging economies.
- working with EU partners to take further action both domestically and internationally. The UK will push hard for greater certainty on European plans for implementation of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme beyond 2012. The scheme remains the most important mechanism for stimulating international investment in low-carbon technology.
- seeking more ambitious collaboration with emerging economies. The EU summits with China and India in 2005 were a useful step forward.
- working with the G8 and developing countries through the SD Dialogues to accelerate the deployment of clean technologies and providing incentives for investment in low carbon technologies.
- close co-operation with the World Bank, other multilateral development banks and the International Energy Agency to deliver an effective framework for investment in clean energy.
Related Links (UK websites)
Climate Change by DEFRA
Hadley Centre, one of the world’s leading climate change research centres, located in the UK.
See Also
Useful Links
