Climate Change

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In 1990, following international concern over climate change, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was set up in order to continually review the scientific evidence being generated around the world and to summarise it for governments and policy makers.

To this end the IPCC began issuing assessment reports which summarised the latest scientific evidence on climate change, compiled from thousands of scientists from around the world.

The latest report is the IPCC's fourth assessment report which was released in 2007.  The report provided stark reading.

There is a unanimous scientific consensus that human emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide is causing climate change.

Levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have risen alarmingly since the industrual age began, and are continuing to rise at rapid rates.

Greenhouse gases are produced when we burn fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.  They are also produced when forests are cut down, soil is degraded by industrial style farming practices, or from methane emissions from livestock.

The scienific evidence indicates that we have until the middle of this decade to avoid a 2 degree rise in global temperatures.  This is the level of warming considered 'safe' by scientists and governments around the world.

Tipping Points

If global temperatures rise above 2 degrees then the likelihood is that we will trigger irreversible (on human timescales) changes to the Earth's climate: the melting of the arctic, greenland and antarctic ice caps, the melting of the Siberian permafrost, the decline of the worlds rainforests and the acidification of the world's oceans.   These are known as 'tipping points'.

All of these processes will release vast amounts of greenhouse gases that will drive climate change out of our control and lead to runaway global warming.  Nothing we do at this point will make any difference.  Global temperatures will rise and continue to rise, leading to widespread exctinctions, floods, extreme weather and crop failures.  It is likely that much of life on earth will become extinct.

It is therefore of vital importance that we avoid passing these 'tipping points' if we are to maintain a habitable climate on earth.  This means we must avoid global warming above 2 degrees.  This in turn means we must begin reducing emissions within this decade.  Failure is simply unthinkable.

Transition

Reducing emissions means making the transition from a high carbon society - largely dependent on burning fossil fuels - to a low carbon society.  This involves not only the widescale deployment of renewable energies such as wind, solar, geothermal and tidal, but also radical changes to the way we live.

We cannot continue to demand endless economic growth and endless consumption of stuff.  We must begin to work towards a steady state economy and more durable, long lasting goods. 

We must learn to conserve energy instead of wasting it as we currently do. 

Most importantly, we must build a better society, one that is not measured by GDP but by more progressive values such as wellbeing, happiness, family and social cohesion, equality and greater environmental integrity.

A low carbon society represents a step towards a better future.  You can become part of this growing revolution by contacting us to complete a carbon footprint and action plan.

Give us a ring on 01671 820654 to make an appointment or speak to one of us.

Be the change you want to see in the world.

Warm regards,

The Creetown Carbon Action Centre team.

01671 820654