Prime Energy MK - Welcome - Is Climate Change Really Happening?

Is Climate Change Really Happening?

A wealth of evidence now puts beyond question our world is warming. Here in the UK four of the five hottest years over a 330 year period have occurred during the last ten years. Globally, the ten hottest years on record have all occurred since the beginning of the 1990s. Side effects such as floods, threatened by sea level rises are occurring more frequently. The change in climate is accelerating and the impacts in terms of environment, society and economy are being felt all over the world.

Naturally occurring greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide (CO₂), methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) including water vapour, create a natural greenhouse effect which tends to keep the surface of the earth around 33° C warmer than it would otherwise be, helping to sustain life on earth.

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, concentrations of the natural greenhouse gases have risen as a consequence of human activities such as fossil fuel use, land-use change and agriculture.

Climate change mechanisms are complex however there is no doubt that the increase in concentration of greenhouse gases above that which has naturally occurred has contributed to global warming. CO₂ forms 86% of the basket of greenhouse gases, and is released into the atmosphere primarily by burning fossil fuels: oil, petrol and natural gas.

If we can reduce carbon dioxide levels i.e. generate low carbon emissions, this will reduce the impact of climate change for future generations.