Climate change or global warming is caused by carbon dioxide and other polluting gases. The UK with 1% of the world's population produces 2.3% of the world's carbon dioxide.
Greenhouse gases are released by burning fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas.
Heat from the sun is trapped by the gases in our atmosphere, forming a blanket around the earth - like the glass of a greenhouse.
Carbon Independent carbon dioxide estimator
This is the estimator we believe to be the most realistic
This is the estimator we believe to be the most realistic
Herts Friends of the Earth
"Your carbon footprint" leaflet
"Your carbon footprint" leaflet
Herts Friends of the Earth
"Ten steps to save energy leaflet"
"Ten steps to save energy leaflet"
Walk Cheerfully, Step Lightly:
100+ ways to green your life
This includes a CO2 estimator
100+ ways to green your life
This includes a CO2 estimator
The National Energy Foundation Act on CO2
Your carbon footprint
We prefer to talk about carbon estimators, accurate calculations are not possible
We prefer to talk about carbon estimators, accurate calculations are not possible
Resurgence carbon calculator
This record shows that, over the past millennium, temperatures in the atmosphere have risen significantly. While we don't have records of actual temperature from 1000 years ago, scientists use "proxy" measurements including growth patterns in tree rings and coral, and analyses of layering and gas concentrations in ice cores, to deduce temperature. In order to establish their reliability, these proxy records are validated against measured temperature over about the last 140 years.
The diagram to the right illustrates the effect of greenhouse gases in the earth's atmosphere. Greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit some of the infrared radiation that would normally be radiated out into space. Some of the re-emitted radiation is re-absorbed by the earth's surface, warming it.
Carbon dioxide and temperature rise . . . .
"If we do nothing, then there's a 50% chance of global temperatures increasing by five degrees within the next century. That would be catastrophic. If we act now, we can reduce that risk to about 4% or 5%."
Sir Nicholas Stern
- climate change
