Climate Change Bill Campaign

I agree with Gibber, it’s great about the higher profile for climate change. But as even WWF are still promoting long distance flying with their fundraising holidays to India and Peru, what hope is there that lesser mortals will change their lifestyles in the way that is needed?

Ella

The chances of all the countries of the world uniting at a political level over this issue are zero. I don’t like to say ‘we are all doomed’ but we are.

For example, what use is it when India and China say ‘it’s our turn now’ when it comes to consumerism?

Oh dear – that’s a fairly miserable prognosis!

I suppose there is the Climate Change Bill in the UK though. If we get that right, maybe it’ll show leadership that others can follow at the international level?

As late as it may seem, it could be too late to stop climate change happening, the only chance the world has is to try to make it as less nasty as possible. Then along comes the great USA with new go ahead plans to build a further 150 huge coal fired energy plants, which will further polute the atmosphere with ONE billions tons of CO2 every year. China is building 2 new coal fired power plants EVERY week.This will certainly tip the scales sooner than later Im afraid. The Chinese have said publicly that they will continue to build coal fired power stations and continue to polute the atmosphere for at least the next 2 decades. They have at the moment just over 6 billion tons of CO2 emissions, and for every hour, YES EVERY HOUR, they emit a further 100,000 tons, over and above the 6 billion tons. The UK must also change from using about 70% fossil fuels. that is coal, gas and oil for energy production. However the UK have plans to build many very large coal fired power plants, WHY?, because coal is cheap. So narrow minded attitude of the UK government. Watch this space as new info comes available.

It will be difficult!!!!

Well, to stop it could be kind of hard, but to reduce it is not impossible.

climate change has been going on before we were born:
its been going on since 1800 and before. the sea levels have been alot lower and alot higher than they are at present
its not climate change or global warming
the earths done this before and it will do it again. maybe not in our lifetime

Music lover, you have been misinformed in what you say. Present day CO2 emissions are almost 388ppm, which are more than 100ppm higher than when the industrial revolution started, and when the world started to use fossil fuels. During the past 600000 yrs we have had at least 4 climate changes, fairly well spaced apart, and due to natural nature causes. The present climate change has nothing to do with natural climate changes, earth tilting, sun spots etc etc. We, humans are pushing towards a tipping point, most scientists agree that this is when the average global temp goes past +2 degs C, and this temperature increase is closer than we think

Yes climate change is natural and if you believe that human beings are a part of the animal kingdom then arguably what we do is also natural because we are a part of the world’s ecosystem. However it is irrefutable that we are exponentially increasing the rate at which this happening irregardless of whether you think it’s natural or not.
Also in response to tonyrobin it’s not narrowmindedness so much as shortsightedness of people and the government. Never ever forget that we as a country’s population are responsible for our government’s attitude towards things. If most of the country are willing to sit by in complacency and not voice (because we don’t know, we’re scared, we don’t think we can make a difference, it doesn’t matter) their concerns about the environment and the state of the world then the government is not going to do anything either. Think of it as a reflection of our attitudes. If you want the government to do something, you, as people who care about these things, are going to have to make people aware of the dangers and get them to care about them. Yes this is harder than it sounds but how many people are actually trying?
Anyway this is coupled with the fact that the government only has to care about a four year term really which isn’t enough time to do much and that people only want to hear about how their taxes are going to be affected (and in the current economic climate how many british jobs are going to be “saved”).
As an aside, statistics and numbers can only be preached to the converted really, the average sun reading briton isn’t going to be interested in these. They need something really tangible to spur them into doing something.

PHIL,

Good points you make.
I was born British and emmigrated to Sweden 1965. Up until ‘65, I was a typical Brit, going about his daily life, this was OK, there were jobs, poorly paid, but still, the environment, WHAT???, never heard of that word. We were still living as we did 50 yrs before, burning coal, coal mines everywhere, rubbish just tipped anywhere there was a hole to be filled up.
Enviroment, was a word, which was already known of here in Sweden, (MILJÖ), all houses were well insulated, double glazing, some even triple in those days. No coal fires, as most houses had central heating, either from gas or from CHP. The environment was clean outside, and I mean clean!!, even children didnt throw away sweet papers, they had been brought up to respect people and the environment. For me this was a small culture shock, but one soon gets the hang of how things work.
Many cities and towns already had their own CHP plants, you call them incineration plants, perhaps the Brits connect that word with WW2 in Germany, so perhaps that is the problem why there are so few in the UK, and that is why the UK is still dumping its household rubbish etc etc at the local landfill site. I can imagine it will continue like this until there are politicians who have a vision to the future, not just the last few months of their turn in power. The UK must make bold steps and release itself from fossil fuels, whether its oil, gas or coal. We rely on less than 1% fossil fuels for energy production, its about 50/50 water and nuclear. There are huge opportunities to develope hydro schemes in Scotland, but the usual reply is, it will spoil nature. Spoil nature by daming off a river?, producing a huge stretch of water, WOW, water sports, yatching etc etc.

W T S