HOW TO STOP CLIMATE CHANGE FOREVER

It’s the use of fossil fuels – coal, oil and gas – that’s the main problem. Burning them has released carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which were locked deep within the Earth. Because of this, the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has rocketed. It’s now at levels not seen in millions of years, before humans even existed. Carbon dioxide traps heat from the sun and as a result our planet is now warming fast. The UK’s top ten warmest years have occurred since 2002, and this trend is set to continue.

The loss of forests and the declining health of our oceans has also made the situation worse. Both forests and oceans play vitally important roles in regulating our climate. Photosynthesising plants and plankton draw down carbon dioxide as they grow, locking it away in soils and rocks. Cutting down forests on an industrial scale destroys giant trees which suck up huge amounts of carbon. Meanwhile, overfishing and pollution damage the oceans which help keep our climate stable. 

Despite the signs of the climate breakdown, big polluting corporations responsible for the majority of carbon emissions continue to carry on mining and burning fossil fuels. Major oil companies including BP, Exxon and Shell have spent hundreds of millions of pounds trying to delay or stop government policies that would have helped tackle the climate crisis. Industries including banks, car and energy companies have also profited off the fossil fuel industry. It is obvious now that these industries are knowingly putting money over the future of our planet and the safety of its people.   

With such a huge crisis facing the entire planet, the international response should be swift and decisive. Yet progress by world governments has been achingly slow. Many commitments to reduce carbon emissions have been set, but few are binding and targets are often missed. Despite wanting to be seen as a climate leader, the UK government has continued to fall short of what’s needed to meet targets and has not yet prepared the country for the consequences of climate change. There’s still time for them to turn this around – and there are clear things they can do – but they need to take bold action now.