WHY?

Our uncertain world

Records indicate that our climate is warming and that the heat balance of the planet is changing. Science links this to an increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, the most significant of which is carbon dioxide. And a broad consensus in the scientific community links this increase in CO2 to human activity.

Why should we do anything about this increase in carbon emissions? The uncertainties surrounding the reasons for climate change are so great, and humans are so good at adapting to changes, that perhaps we need not be concerned…. but the arguments for taking steps to reduce carbon are compelling.

Global warming will almost certainly bring about a rise in sea levels and a less predictable climate. These changes will have serious direct and indirect consequences for Norfolk. The exact nature of these consequences may not be known but their effects are potentially so serious that to disregard them might be disastrous.

Politics is another reason for us to reduce our carbon emission. The UK government is committed to a transition to a low-carbon economy and a 60 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050. Carbon reduction is on a steady creep up the political agenda, and new measures introduced by government will inevitably have an impact on our everyday lives.