Royston WEA AGM 12 May: Climate change myths

Climate change isn’t happening

It’s all natural

There’s nothing we can do

A bit about me...

Christopher Booker, Telegraph

Which myths to choose?

Top 3 climate change myths

• Climate change isn’t happening• It’s natural: the climate has always

varied• There’s nothing we can do about it

anyway

Top 3 climate change myths

• Climate change isn’t happening• It’s natural: the climate has always

varied• There’s nothing we can do about it

anyway

What’s the difference between climate and weather?

• Weather relates to the conditions over a short period of time.

Climate and weather

• Or climate is what you expect: weather is what you get!

IPCC Assessment Reports since 1990: WGI Contribution

1990

1995

2001

2007

2013

Consensus on climate change

Climate change today

• Higher temperatures• Changing rainfall• Changes in nature• Sea level rises• Retreating glaciers• Changes in sea ice• Changes in ice sheets

Arctic Sea Ice is melting

Loss of Arctic Sea Ice

Changes in nature

Alien species

November 1952

November 2013

Environmental refugees - Tuvalu

Japanese cherry trees

Two graphs

Carbon dioxide and temperature

An (in)famous graph

The Hockey Stick Graph

Top 3 climate change myths

• Climate change isn’t happening• It’s natural: the climate has always

varied• There’s nothing we can do about it

anyway

What’s the coldest year you can remember?

Sahara 5000 years ago

Vikings in Greenland

Dinosaur weather

Mount Pinatubo

Inspired by Tambora

Snowball Earth

Daily Mirror

“UKIP do not believe in all these doom and gloom stories”

I am not a scientist

Soon and the Sun

Milankovitch cycles

Continents 700 years ago

Natural changes happen slowly

Coldest winters

Met Office – coldest years

Top 3 climate change myths

• Climate change isn’t happening• It’s natural: the climate has always

varied• There’s nothing we can do about it

anyway

Wind turbines

PV in desert in Peru

Individual action

UK Carbon Plan

• Carbon budgets – Climate Change Act 2008• All cavity walls and lofts insulated by 2020• Closing coal fired power stations during 2020s•Renewable, nuclear and coal with carbon capture and storage•Low carbon electricity, cars and heating•2030 onwards tackling industry, aviation, shipping, agriculture

Boundary Dam

Croome Park

Ground source heat pump

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

IPCC Assessment Reports since 1990: WGI Contribution

1990

1995

2001

2007

2013

What does the IPCC say?

•We can tackle climate change•It needs international co-operation•It will be much more difficult if we delay beyond 2030•There are a range of different actions we could take

A range of measures• Integrating climate policies in broader development policies • Regulations and standards • Taxes and charges • Tradable permits • Financial incentives• Voluntary agreements • Information instruments • Research and development

Solar Radiation Management

Combating Climate Change Myths