| Well..... The greenhouse effect is the | | | | billion between these 2 countries, this |
| natural process by which the atmosphere traps | | | | increased car ownership could cancel out any |
| some of the Sun's energy, warming the Earth | | | | gains made in the West through reducing |
| enough to support life as we know it! | | | | factory and car emissions. |
| | | | |
| When humans cut down trees or burn fossil | | | | Scientists and those in the know predict that |
| fuels, they release extra carbon into the | | | | climate-induced floods, rising sea levels, |
| atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect. | | | | more frequent and intense hurricanes, famine, |
| Mass deforestation around the world at an | | | | drought and conflict could also reverse |
| unprecedented rate is making the problem | | | | recent gains in reducing poverty around the |
| worse year by year. | | | | world and that the USA and UK will be |
| | | | affected by all or some of the above. |
| Unfortunately, due to this climate change the | | | | |
| earth is getting warmer as temperatures at | | | | Climate change presents a significant |
| the Earth's surface have increased by an | | | | challenge to the UK and to the international |
| estimated 1.4°F (0.8°C) between 1900 | | | | community. Recent Climate Change Conferences |
| and 2005. The past decade was the hottest of | | | | in Montreal and the G8 and the Gleneagles |
| the past 150 years and perhaps the past | | | | Summit have attempted to co-ordinate the |
| millennium. The hottest 22 years on record | | | | international response to climate change. |
| have occurred since 1980, and 2005 was the | | | | |
| hottest on record. | | | | There are also enormous opportunities if we |
| | | | are willing to take action. Government, |
| The Kyoto Protocol on cutting carbon dioxide | | | | business and individuals all have a part to |
| emissions, believed to be the key cause of | | | | play, and all of us will benefit from rising |
| global warming, expires in 2012 and does not | | | | to the challenge of reducing the harm to the |
| require major developing nations to make | | | | environment. |
| reductions. In addition, the US has rejected | | | | |
| it. Increasing car usage around the world is | | | | While some of the effects of climate change |
| leading to carbon dioxide emissions | | | | may be positive, such as longer growing |
| increasing not decreasing. As incomes rise in | | | | seasons in certain countries and longer, |
| India and China, they are obviously looking | | | | hotter summers in the UK. These positive |
| at car ownership as a status symbol and the | | | | impacts are unlikely to be sustained as the |
| benefits that it brings. With nearly 2.5 | | | | globe continues to warm. |