Extreme Weather Is ‘A Sign Of Things To Come’ Unless There Is Tougher Action On Climate Change, Warns South East Politician
10 March 2008 - The turbulent weather conditions hitting the South East this week are a worrying sign of things to come unless the Government takes a tougher line on climate change, Green MEP for the South East Caroline Lucas warned today.
Dr Lucas said: “Studies have suggested that the South East of England is likely to be one of the regions worst affected by climate change. In a report as long ago as 2004 entitled ‘Global Warming, Local Warning’, I drew on such studies to set the particular consequences of global warming for my South East constituency, where the dense population, long coastline and low-lying land are increasingly vulnerable.
“Climate change is not just a matter of global weather patterns – it is affecting and will continue to affect the people and the land of the South East, and this week’s storms are a taste of what is to come.
“We are at a crucial stage in the battle to control rising temperatures in the Earth’s atmosphere, but this Government looks likely to give the go ahead for new coal-fired power facilities and a massive expansion of aviation.
“To prevent the devastating consequences of climate change, we should be looking to dramatically reduce CO2 emissions by reducing demand, investing in carbon neutral sources of power and developing widescale energy efficiency measures.
She concluded: “According to the Government’s own figures, 30% of the UK’s energy demand could be saved by using energy efficiency technologies that would also save more money than they cost implement.”
ENDS
