In its monthly column, Climate Action Stokesley and Villages discusses the climate emergency and net zero.
Climate change is accelerating. To avoid dangerous global warming a radical reduction in greenhouse gases (GHGs) is essential. July’s heatwave shows that the situation is already critical. From a previous national record of 38.7ºC, UK temperatures exceeded 40ºC across much of the country. Wildfire destroyed 16 houses in London.
Why has the global climate changed?
Since the Industrial Revolution we have been producing more GHGs than the earth’s natural processes are able to absorb (see carbon cycle diagram).
Carbon cycle
Concentrations of GHGs in the atmosphere continues to rise. More heat energy is trapped by the atmosphere leading to increasing global temperatures, changing climate and more extreme weather. Climate effects are complex. For example, greater heat increases evaporation leading to higher rainfall and extreme flooding events in some areas. Elsewhere, heat domes caused by trapped high pressure systems stop clouds forming, causing droughts and famine.
Why the urgency?
In 1992 the UN’s Rio Earth summit produced a plan to stop both climate and ecological breakdown. It was never implemented. Thirty years later as global temperatures continue to rise the UN has issued a stark warning: Code Red for Humanity. We must act now to avoid the collapse of our climate and ecological systems globally. Without change the life systems on which we all depend will be damaged beyond repair, threatening global food supply.
Why net zero carbon?
The primary GHG is carbon dioxide (CO2); this accumulates in the atmosphere and remains there for around 100 years. Methane (CH4) produces 80 times more warming than CO2 but lasts in the atmosphere for closer to 25 years. While we continue to emit these gases, global temperatures will continue rising. In 2019 the UK government committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
Net zero means zero additional greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. This is how we prevent temperatures rising further.
climate logo
How to get to net zero carbon?
To reach net zero, emissions from homes, transport, industry, and agriculture must be cut. For some areas, like aviation, this will be very difficult, and so residual emissions will need to be removed from the atmosphere by either changing how the land is used so it absorbs more carbon, or by being extracted from the atmosphere by Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) technologies, yet to be fully developed.
In summary, global GHGs are still rising, and time has almost run out before we exceed the 1.5ºC global temperature rise which science shows will be catastrophic. We know what needs to be done and how to do it. We need to reduce our own carbon footprint and use our votes and voices to influence local, national and international action.
Locally, North Yorkshire County Council has declared a climate emergency. Local climate groups will be working with NYCC to help develop and implement a climate change strategy.
The website https://climateactionstokesleyandvillages.org has information links to the science and plans that exist to tackle climate change, and what people can do.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here