12 April 2007 - Hampshire MEP Caroline Lucas will speak to students at South Downs College in Portsmouth about the dangers of climate change and the benefits of cutting our carbon footprint next Friday (April 20th).

Invited to speak to students and staff Dr Lucas said: "There is no doubt that the planet is getting warmer and rapidly with the past 11 years among the 12 warmest since 1850. There is a very strong consensus among scientists as to the cause: our use of fossil fuels”.

"There is much we can do in this country. The average carbon footprint of a UK citizen - a measure of how much carbon we produce - is 160 times bigger than the average Ugandan. Yet Uganda will bear the initial brunt of climate change. A two degree rise in temperature - which could easily happen- would devastate the coffee industry, the backbone of its economy, which accounts for 27% of its exports.

"Programmes like the Great Global Warming Swindle try to dupe the public into doubting the scientific consensus, but all the producers did was to present old theories that have already been factored in reaching the conclusion that fossil fuel use is to blame."

As one of the largest colleges in the South East of England, South Downs College has begun to further develop its ‘green policy’ throughout the college to build on existing environmental practices both inside and outside the classroom. It now operates a number of environment based focus groups, made up from staff and students, looking at issues such as transport, alternative energy sources and local food produce as well as a comprehensive recycling programme.

A college spokesperson said: “To continue this push even further it is hoped that a visit from such a distinguished name on environmental issues, as Caroline Lucas, will encourage students at South Downs to appreciate and respect the natural world and lessen the effect they are having on it.”

 

ENDS