The climate of the Earth is always changing.  However, in the past the climate has changed as a result of natural causes. Just use the ice age as an example- the Earth changed from being completely covered in ice- to the green lands we know now.  However, when talking of climate change these days, we tend to associate it with man made influences caused by the changes in our lifestyles.

 

Below are some frequently asked questions about climate change

 

 

 

The greenhouse effect occurs when gases are trapped in the Earth's atmosphere and warm the temperature of the earth (so called as it is similar in theory to the greenhouse in your garden). It is the extra greenhouse gases (which include water vapour, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and methane) caused by modern lifestyles which are thought to pose the strongest threat to our climate. 

 

The rate and duration of global warming observed during the 20th Century is unprecedented in the past thousand years. At 372 parts per million, today’s atmospheric carbon dioxide level is higher than at any time in at least the past 420,000 years

 

 

The Home Energy Conservation Act 1995 ( HECA ) required every UK local authority (Council)with housing responsibilities  to prepare, publish and submit an energy conservation report to the Secretary of State.  The report should identify achievable and cost-effective measures to  improve the energy efficiency of all homes in their area; and to report on progress made in putting these measures into effect.

 

HECA has focused the attention of local authorities more closely on the energy efficiency of all residential accommodation and on developing a partnership approach to their housing and energy efficiency strategies. Improvements achieved through HECA will contribute to meeting the UK's Climate Change commitments.

 

One of the targets associated with HECA , is to achieve a reduction in the C02 we produce by 20% by 2010.

 

 

Modern inventions such as the car, aeroplanes, electric lights, microwave ovens and tumble dryers have made our lives much easier.  However, that has come at a cost.  These products use a lot of energy and a by-product of this is carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere. 

 

Think of all of the machines in your house- your television, your heating system, your lights, your oven and fridge.  The main probelm occurs when these appliances are left on needlessley- lights left on in empty rooms for example.  It’s estimated that wasted energy costs the UK over £5 billion each year.  This is why the domestic market (i.e customers in the home, rather than business users), are being targeted to help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted from our homes.

 

 

The UK, which has just 1% of the world's population, produces 2.3% of the world's C02

 

On average, each household in the UK is responsible for around six tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions every year - enough to fill six hot air balloons 10 metres in diameter.  The average home is responsible for more harmful carbon dioxide gas than the average car every year.

 

As a result, we are targeting our efforts at the domestic market.  Energy efficiency in the home benefits us in many ways.  Firstly we save money on our household bills and with the rise in energy prices, every penny counts.  Cutting energy wastage through energy efficiency measures could save the average household £200 a year.  Not a small amount by any means.

 

Secondly, we help to save the environment and safeguard the planet for future generations. 

 

 

No one knows for sure, because this has never happened before.  We are, however already beginning to notice the changes in some parts of the world.  Ice caps in the Arctic have begun to melt and Lohachara Island, near India has been wiped off the map completely due to global warming.  Other islands throughout the world have been evacuated due to rising sea levels.  Sadly, it is those countries which have contributed the least to climate change, which are paying the price. 

 

Scientists in the UK and across the World are looking at the evidence of climate change and are also using computer models to come up with predictions for our future environment and weather.  However, it is difficult to accurately predict how the Earth will behave.

 

Water is an enormous consideration. As we are likely to see an increase in the level of rain fall and sea levels, we can probably expect to see more incidiences of flooding.  This will mean our homes are more vulnerable and the knock on effect of that is we can expect higher insurance premiums to cover flooding.

 

Our health is like to be affected by global warming- especially for the more vulnerable people in society, older people and young babies from heat.

 

Other things to consider are what changes will we see in our countryside?  Will we lose some species of animals?  Will we be able to grow bananas in our back gardens?  It is likely that the changes will happen over a long period of time so we may not have the answers in our lifetimes. There will be some positives of climate change as well - warmer summers for example, but we will have to accept the negatives as a consequence of our lifestyles.