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    Climate change

    The earth's climate (the average pattern of weather over the long term) has warmed and cooled for millions of years in periodic natural cycles. Fluctuations in the global climate are therefore natural to some extent but there are recent indications that increased human activities are increasing the rate and potential magnitude of climate change. 

    How is our climate changing?

    Extreme weather events

    The number of Category 4 and 5 hurricanes has almost doubled in the last 30 years. In addition storm conditions and other freak weather events may increase the intensity and magntude of river flooding.

    Clicking on the above image will take you to bbc

    Global Warming

    Global warming is one of the consequences of this enhanced greenhouse effect and will cause worldwide changes to climate patterns. The worlds leading experts on this issue, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), report that the average surface temperature of the earth has increased during the 20th century by about 0.6°(±0.2°C).
     
    This may seem like a small shift, but although regional and short-term temperatures do fluctuate over a wide range, global temperatures are generally quite stable. In fact, the difference between today's average global temperature and the average global temperature during the last Ice Age is only about 5°C. This global temperature is set to rise still further.
     
     

    Why is global warming a problem?

    There are likely to be many devastating impacts of global warming. Warm temperatures increase the rate of melting in the polar icecaps, for example the flow of ice from glaciers in Greenland has more than doubled over the past decade. This rise in sea level could devastate coastal areas worldwide, forcing millions to abandon their homes. Many lowland areas in the UK could eventually become uninhabitable:
     
     
    UK in 2050   

    The secondary effects of global warming would be...

    • A spread in infectious diseases, such as Malaria has already spread to higher altitudes in places like the Colombian Andes, 7,000 feet above sea level.
    • Droughts and wildfires will occur more often
    • Heat waves will be more frequent and more intense
    • More than a million species worldwide could be driven to extinction by 2050
    • At least 279 species of plants and animals are already responding to global warming, moving closer to the poles
    • The Arctic Ocean could be ice free in summer by 2050

    Why is the climate changing?

     

    There are many theories put forward to explain this temperature rise, from sun spots to 'Milankovic oscillations' but the expert concensus is that the evidence suggests that the cause is enhanced greenhouse effect (The natural greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon created by the heat energy radiated by the sun and greenhouse gases normally present in the atmosphere).

    Enhanced greenhouse effect is caused by an increased atmospheric concentration of gases such as CO2, CH4, and NOx, which prevent infra-red radiation from escaping the earth. This results in a change to the earth's energy budget and produces a phenomenon known as global warming.  

    To read more about the threats of climate change visit:
     
    An Inconvenient Truth
    Department of the Environment

    What can we do?

    The main cause of global warming is that we are continuing to burn vast amounts of hydro-carbons each year for transportation, electricty production and heating.  This produces greenhouse gases such as H2O and most importantly CO2.
     
    So to minimise the adverse effects of climate change we all need to attempt to reduce our emissions of CO2.  A good place to start is to at least know your 'carbon footprint'.  You can find out what this means and work out your own by visiting:
     
    Carbon Footprint is the measure of your impact on the environment, in terms of the green house gasses you produce 
    Carbon Footprint Calculator
     
    Once you know this you can start to think about ways you can reduce your carbon emissions.  
     
    See the following sections on our website:
    Other useful websites with useful tips on how to your carbon footprint:
     
     Marches Energy Agency