Climate Change

We are currently experiencing Climate Change in the form of Global Warming.

In summary:

1. Global temperatures have been increasing dramatically for the past 100 years.
2. A significant part of this warming is caused by an excess of greenhouse gases, the most significant being carbon dioxide.
3. Carbon dioxide is produced as a result of burning fossil fuels (oil, gas and coal).
4. Fossil fuels are the source of most of our energy, including heating and transport.

Saving energy helps tackle climate change, but significantly it also brings personal financial benefits from 2 angles:

• Reduced energy bills, especially when energy prices are expected to rise (see Peak Oil).
• Reduced carbon emissions, which will avoid higher bills as green taxes increase. Tackling climate change requires significant reductions in our carbon emissions.

Further reading? The links are recommended, each taking a different approach.

External links

1. Global Warming Art Temperature Gallery (WikiPedia)
   (A picture paints a thousand words)
2. BBC on Climate Change
• Green House Effect explanation
• Climate Change portal
3. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - Global Warming - Frequently Asked Questions
4. DEFRA's 'About climate change: Greenhouse effect'
5. The Royal Society This document examines twelve misleading arguments (presented in bold typeface) put forward by the opponents of urgent action on climate change and highlights the scientific evidence that exposes their flaws.
6. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) which produced the IPCC summary (17 November 2007)
7. Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change
8. Met Office's Hadley Centre:
   • Research on climate change
   • Myth busting with graphs
9. Staffordshire County Council:
   • Staffordshire Declaration on Climate Change
   • A Hard Rain - Staffordshire County Council's climate change action plan
   • Our County, Our Climate, Our Choice - a guide for the residents of Staffordshire providing up to date and local information on climate change
10. The Energy Saving Trust on Your impact on climate change
11. Transition Towns (responding to the twin challenges of Peak Oil and Climate Change)
12. Transition Town Stafford