Global Warming: Our part in its growth

There can be few issues more contentious than global warming in the modern age. To a man, the scientists are now convinced that global warming is occurring as a result of man and his reliance on fossil fuels. Outside of the scientific community, sceptics abound with the former Chancellor Lord Lawson prominent among them. The latest report published today claims the evidence in favour is now unequivocal. One new piece of information has emerged. It seems as though the warming effect is being absorbed by the ocean. Putting aside the fact that bathing in the sea will, in theory, become a rather less bracing experience, this obviously has serious implications for marine life. Thus far, there have been more summits on this subject than there are summits in the Himalayas and yet concensus seems as elusive as ever. Just last week, I listened with great interest to Sir David Attenborough. This man has dedicated his life to wildlife and over the last 70 years or so has seen changes which are undeniable. Do we listen to him or just shrug him off as a starry eyed old man looking back through rose tinted spectacles? I would urge caution with the latter. When the current leader of our Opposition this week pledged to freeze prices for gas and electric should he form a majority government, he really displayed much of what is wrong with our current political class. As ever, power remains the be all and end all for people of his ilk. Instead though, they should divert their gaze to the demand for power which is actually fueling global warming. Freezing prices will have absolutely no effect on consumption of fossil fuels. Developing fracking will have no effect on the use of fossil fuels. Until such time as our political leaders begin to face facts, our plight will become increasingly desperate. Seeking renewable power is not optional. It is imperative and the sooner we face the music the better. There is so much we could be doing which we are not. We could be harnessing the power of the waves at the Bristol Channel and the Menai Straits to name but two. We should by now have rolled out solar panels to the entire domestic market to reduce our dependency on fossil fuels. We should already have implemented these changes but lack the political will to do so. Instead, we propose to build a high speed rail link which will do nothing to reduce our current problem. The £50 billion cost of that project should be applied in the areas to which I have alluded. Lord Lawson is entitled to his view but he will be long gone by the time the rest of us are faced with the true enormity of this growing problem. As long as the industrial behemoths continue to plunge their heads in to the sand, this is the one problem which will ultimately cost us very dear. There comes a time when even hard core capitalists have to wake up and smell the coffee - that is if there is still electric with which to boil the kettle....