| Experts tell us we are releasing unacceptable | | | | currently 15% greater than 1990 level. |
| levels of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. | | | | |
| If we continue at this rate, by 2070, the | | | | Experts tell us we must act now. We must |
| polar ice caps will completely melt causing | | | | reduce the amount of carbon dioxide we |
| sea levels to rise and all those idyllic | | | | release. To do this we must use alternative |
| islands and a large amount of the continents | | | | sources of energy, make better use of fossil |
| will be under water. The rainforests will | | | | fuel, plant more trees and protect the seas |
| wither away from drought or fires and | | | | from pollution so that phytoplankton |
| destructive waves, floods and droughts will | | | | population remain high. |
| be commonplace. | | | | |
| | | | At present there is no obvious viable |
| Al Gore thinks that if change is not in place | | | | alternative. Nuclear power has safety |
| within the next 10 years, then it becomes | | | | problems but there are encouraging research |
| irreversible. | | | | on solar and hydrogen power. Photovoltaic, |
| | | | wind power and power from biomass are slowly |
| We need the harbingers of doom. They stop us | | | | being introduced but this process takes time. |
| from destroying this planet. They are | | | | |
| responsible for the improvement of the ozone | | | | Al Gore claims that he is carbon neutral. To |
| layer. They warned us of the dangers of ozone | | | | achieve this cost money. Not every one can |
| layer depletion and unless immediate action | | | | afford this. It takes up to 10 years to |
| was taken, then by 2050 the effects would be | | | | recover cost to convert to alternative source |
| devastating to our health. | | | | of energy. It is therefore important for |
| | | | everyone to make optimum use of energy. |
| This led directly to the Montreal Protocol | | | | |
| banning the use of CFCs in fridges and air | | | | Global warming, unlike other problems, cannot |
| conditioning. We still have fridges and air | | | | be solved by governments and industries |
| conditioning but without CFCs. Technology got | | | | alone. Homeowners have to do their bit. |
| us into that mess and technology got us out. | | | | Legislation on emission has made a difference |
| | | | to cars and trucks on the road but there is |
| Experts warned us about acid rain and claimed | | | | inadequate control on older vehicles. Home |
| it was a serious threat to life on earth. It | | | | owners must insulate their homes and ensure |
| was a bit exaggerated but it hastened the | | | | their Central Heating boilers are efficient. |
| development of new technologies that reduced | | | | To ensure this is happening, there may well |
| the release of nitrates and sulphates into | | | | have to be legislation to annually check |
| the atmosphere. | | | | emission levels from individual homes. |
| | | | |
| The primary cause of global warming is our | | | | So should we heed the harbingers of doom? |
| use of fossil fuel. By burning fossil fuel, | | | | According to experts, the Arctic is melting |
| we are releasing carbon dioxide into the | | | | and has already lost an area the size of |
| atmosphere. The balance in the past was | | | | Texas, that is, 4 times the size of UK. |
| maintained by photosynthesis by plants and | | | | Rising sea level is already causing |
| phytoplankton. They contain chlorophyll and | | | | displacement. The island of Tuvalu in the |
| in the present of sunlight convert carbon | | | | Pacific will soon be evacuated. Laupepa, a |
| dioxide into glucose and releasing oxygen. | | | | Tuvaluan government official, told a BBC |
| | | | reporter that by refusing to ratify the Kyoto |
| Today the level of carbon dioxide released is | | | | Protocol, the US has effectively denied |
| unacceptably high and in addition we are | | | | future generations of Tuvaluans their |
| cutting down rainforests. This results in an | | | | fundamental freedom to live where their |
| imbalance. | | | | ancestors have lived for thousands of years. |
| | | | |
| In 1997, 38 developed countries laid down a | | | | Brazil?s cascading Iguazu falls this year is |
| framework to prevent global warming. They | | | | just a trickle. Britain is experiencing the |
| requested that by 2012 there must be a | | | | driest spell this century, and has widespread |
| reduction of antropogenic carbon dioxide | | | | hose pipe bans. |
| emission by 5% below 1990 level. This is part | | | | |
| of the Kyoto Protocol. Sadly the US President | | | | With global warming and rising sea level, US |
| in March 2001 renounced the protocol. | | | | and European citizens may lose prime |
| | | | beachfront properties but low lying islands |
| US have 25% of the world population but | | | | will lose nationalities as their citizens are |
| experts say it is responsible for 75% of | | | | displaced. Do they see the developed |
| greenhouse gas emission. While other | | | | countries as nations totally indifferent to |
| countries are reducing emission, US emission, | | | | their plight? |
| according to experts, continue to rise and is | | | | |