Why we need a campaign:
10th April 2006
Louise Burfitt-Dons

Not so long ago the debate on global warming, whether or not our climate was changing and, if so, why, was limited to scientists and environmentalists. For the rest of us— particularly those who spent the best part of the day inside somewhere, like an office, school, or kitchen—the subject was somewhat hypothetical.

But over the last few years the matter has demanded much more of our attention if only because as selfish human beings it has begun to cast a shadow over our personal skies. As we look forward to the summer months it is with an air of growing uncertainty. We now are less confident that the weather patterns we have grown up with can be relied on any more. For example 35,000 people died in the European heat wave in 2003. Could that happen again this year? Sudden violent flooding has almost become the norm and super typhoons are being regularly spawned right across the tropical latitudes. Could we be caught up in any of these this summer? Except for the few in denial it is becoming broadly accepted that our activities are having a serious impact on the world’s environment.

Evidence of Climate Change

Our glaciers are disappearing. Thanks to NASA’s satellites we can now see this for ourselves whether we want to or not.

Temperature records show our world is warmer than it has been for a hundred years or maybe longer. Apparently the past 30 years has given scientists particular cause for alarm because this period was one in which we should have ‘cooled off’ because of predicted solar activity levels.

Then there is the time lag to consider. Because of the depth of the seas and the volume of water involved, warming at the surface levels takes time to conduct to the lower levels. Our sea levels will continue to rise well into the future as the water expands with the rising temperatures based on past emission activities. Doing something now is not only imperative it is vital.

What is being done

Governments and many organisations are now addressing the problem. To get action to reduce CO2 emissions the UN finally agreed the Kyoto Protocol which set goals agreed to by most of the member countries. It was a start but is certainly not going to be enough to arrest the change, let alone reverse it. Also the US didn’t sign up nor did China and India, crucial players in the global emissions scene. Australia also stepped back. Then recently the US, Japan, China, India, South Korea and Australia came up with their own program to develop cleaner fuel technologies as a different approach to reducing CO2 emissions.

Global Warming Alliance

Never before have we needed leadership on an issue which could be critical to the survival of humans as a species. And never before have we had to act with such individual responsibility when it comes to energy use. Our individual decisions will not only set us off in the right direction but also serve as an example to others who might be less aware of what may be coming. Energy saving as consumers and environmental respect as parents and teachers will give the scientists more time. They can then develop the technology required for cleaner fuels, and alternative energy resources.

So the focus of the campaigns by Global Warming Alliance will be to keep climate right at the front of everyone’s agenda. We use energy without thought because it has been the key element in raising our living standards to what we enjoy today. We take it for granted and squander it without thought. But as intelligent human beings we can change our ways very quickly when the need arises as has been shown very often throughout history.

Louise Burfitt-Dons is a founder director of the Global Warming Alliance.