Threat of climate change

Most scientists now accept that the use of fossil fuels for energy is causing long-lasting changes to the world’s climate. The gases, such as carbon dioxide, which are released by the burning of fuels such as oil, gas and coal, are forming a blanket in the earth’s atmosphere which traps heat and is causing small and steady rises in the earth’s temperature.

While this may sound like a good thing to those of us living in cooler countries, worldwide it is an environmental disaster.

Rising temperatures will increase the risk of flooding and of extreme weather conditions like hurricanes and tornados.

Scientists predict that within 50 years the UK could be suffering from an increase in dangerous diseases, higher rates of food poisoning, severe flooding and powerful winter gales.

According to Friends of the Earth, “nearly 40% of land-based wildlife is doomed to extinction within our lifetimes. 100 million more people will be flooded by the end of the century”.