Wake up to the climate issue before we become a non-issue.

[Guest guest]

Climate options for a greener world

By David Shukman

BBC science correspondent

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4552124.stm

 

[Dear Friends,

 

We wake up to climate issues only when some catastrophe strikes or when a

global meet on climate is held. And then we forget. However the climate issue is

a very real threat that should be addressed with all urgency. I myself keep

abreast through bulletins of organisations like Greenpeace etc. I circulate the

articles I come across in the net so that people can reflect on them. This is

about all that I can do. But it seems our government too keeps itself limited to

introducing courses in schools and colleges on environmental studies. There is

little else to show that anybody is serious on this issue. The Ganges continues

to be the most polluted river, industrial affluents have affected even small

streams and canals, the air we breathe in our metros can kill, weather

fluctuations continue to create unprecedented havoc. What is it that does not

force us to think beyond our noses? Must industrialists look only at their sales

and profit figures? Must beaurocrats only be immersed in

statistics? Must the educated think the issue has to be handled by some one

else? I don't even want to talk about the breed I have chosen not to mention.

 

If we want to act then certainly we can achieve a lot. Just look at how the

IAS officer of Tamilnadu is tackling the tsunami fallout. We need hope and

commitment.

 

Please remember that we may have already crossed the threshold in polluting

the world. The consequences will not come in small instalments that will allow

us to adjust to them. Once critical point is reached there will be a cascading

effect. There will be nothing we can do once such a situation develops. People

are talking about the next 100 years but the climate experts I have corresponded

with say it may well happen in the next 20 years. They are forced to keep quiet

because powerful governments don't want their " rant " to scare the public. It is

ok for the " bird flu rant " as it translates to profits but a climate rant would

definitely affect the industry adversely. Who would want that?

 

It seems coffins do have pockets. Maybe we can take our wealth to the other

world?

 

Regards,

Jagannath.]

 

 

 

 

 

If climate scientists are right, the past year's scenes of extreme weather are

set to become commonplace by the end of the century. The prediction is that by

2100, the average global temperature will rise by anything from 2 degrees

Celsius to around 6C with potentially devastating consequences. The question

is, what should we do about it? To help answer that, let's explore two

different scenarios for our future world. You could summarise the first option

as " business-as-usual " . We carry on living life as we do now, allowing emissions

of greenhouse gases to continue to rise - and if the climate turns nasty, we put

our faith in technology to come up with solutions for dealing with its effects.

So, the era of cheap mass flights continues unchecked. We go on enjoying the

amazing choices of our advanced consumer society. And above all, we carry on our

love affair with the car. There's no doubt the car has become deeply ingrained

in our lives - even though we all know it's a

major cause of greenhouse gases. According to Nigel Wonnacott, of the UK's

Society of Motor Traders and Manufacturers, the car is now woven into the fabric

of our society. " It provides us with huge freedom and huge flexibility, " he

says. " What we need to do as an industry is ensure that the products that we

deliver are as low-carbon as they possibly can be and that we as consumers use

our vehicles, be they cars or vans, in the most environmentally responsibly

way. " Technical fix In any case, it's not just us and our cars that are

pumping out greenhouse gases. VOTE What would you do for a greener

world? Continue as before and rely on future scientific breakthroughs Be willing

to sacrifice some consumer choices to slow climate change Results are indicative

and may not reflect public opinion You could take the view that a far bigger

problem is the vast emerging economies of India and China. By 2100, they will be

pumping out carbon emissions at a far faster rate; and

though we will affected by them, we may be powerless to stop them. As David

Viner, of the Climatic Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, puts it:

" We are going to see very high rates of emissions of greenhouse gases and as a

result temperatures are going to respond accordingly and we will see very high

rates of climate change. " One clear implication, he says, will be the impact

on the sea-level and therefore the British coastline. The Thames Barrier is

the most visible symbol of our island's coastal defences and, under this

scenario, if stronger defences are needed we will simply have to go ahead and

construct them. The Dutch, half of whose country lies below sea-level, have

for years resorted to massive sea-walls. If we choose to pursue the

high-emission, high-technology path, then that too could be an option for us.

It's do-able but very expensive. We could also turn to new technologies like

carbon capture - a system for trapping greenhouse gases. A pilot

system in the Sahara - and another in the North Sea - captures carbon dioxide

and pumps it deep underground. With systems like this, you might take the view

that the threat of climate change is perfectly manageable - and that our

lifestyles can go on as normal. But there is another vision for our future -

an alternative option for a greener world. This would require some serious

changes in our everyday activities. The key would be a serious attempt to

reduce our use of fossil fuels and to minimise the scale of the emissions of

greenhouse gases. Ready and willing? Tony Juniper, director of Friends of

the Earth, believes that the British public are ready to embrace the new

approach needed. Just as recycling has become part of our lives, so could

thinking about how our actions affect the climate. It could be as simple as

choosing energy-saving light-bulbs or having a range of domestic appliances that

are all low-carbon. " We should be looking at a choice of products that

are the cleanest, greenest most environmentally friendly products. Now

governments can accelerate that new world. It can be with us very quickly if

governments put in place the regulations - and I think the public, by and large,

would go along with this. " This greener future would require more fundamental

change as well. For example, we have all come to like the convenience and huge

choice found in supermarkets - but we also know the environmental cost of flying

and trucking fruit, veg and other products from all over the planet. Dr Viner

thinks that our shopping would have to be " more local " . Supermarkets would have

to make way for farmers' markets. " We would really focus on local production

and local consumption, " he says. " So in that respect we would be looking at a

world where we are not flying around so much, where goods and services aren't

being moved around the world. " And checking in for all those popular cheap

flights would be a thing of the past - no more mass

flying producing greenhouse gases. We would all be opting for a British holiday

instead, getting back to nature and back to a low-carbon existence. So there

are the two scenarios: either, let's just carry on and depend on our boffins to

sort things out; or each think about our individual impact on the climate and

turn local. We want to know what you think - because ultimately the choice is

yours. You can watch David's full report on BBC 1 at 0900 GMT on 31 December

2005. What would you do for a greener world? Do you think we could control

global warming through advanced science or is this unrealistic? Would you make

personal sacrifices such as limited air travel, restricted use of cars and a

more localised world? Send us your comments using the form below.

 

 

 

Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/4552124.stm

 

Published: 2005/12/28 11:48:46 GMT

 

© BBC MMV

 

 

 

“New opinions often appear first as jokes and fancies, then as blasphemies

and treason, then as questions open to discussion, and finally as established

truths.” – George Bernard Shaw.

 

 

 

 

 

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