CLIMATE CHANGE
Global warming has become the most prominent environmental issue
of our times. Growing public awareness of the effects of elevated
global temperatures has been driven by clear signs around the world
that climate change is already happening.
From the UK Stern Review in 2006 to the latest reports from the
UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), stark
warnings are coming from scientific and economic experts that
climate change is a reality and that the consequences to our
society will be significant. Governments around the world are
taking action in the form of legislation, such as the UK's Climate
Change Bill and the European Union's 2007 target of a 20% reduction
in emissions by 2020.
Individual countries, regions and states, such as California,
have ambitious plans for action. But how can these challenging
obligations be achieved? Mechanisms such as emissions trading
schemes have an important role to play. However, renewable energy
technologies have huge potential to assist in meeting reduction
targets. Making greater use of wind and solar power, geothermal
energy, biomass and marine technologies such as tidal and wave
power, represents one of our best strategies for meeting the
climate change challenge, whilst also helping to secure the
availability and security of future energy supplies.
For more information please download our report: GLOBAL WARMING, a guide to its origins and
effects