Climate change.

[Sid Bishop]

Humans are one of the primary causes of global warming. Over time there have always been resets to the ecosystem. Famine, disease, war & natural disasters. The first three we have had under control like never before and that has been a major reason why there has been a 5 fold increase in the human population in the last 120 years. We are currently controlling (believe it or not) this Covid pandemic. The equivalent pandemic of 100 years ago, the Spanish flu, killed 20-100 million from a possible 1.8 billion. As a consequence the population grows - largely in areas that cannot afford it to grow - and so the planet suffers a burnout that will be very difficult to put right. I don't have the answer but everyone accepting a "lifestyle cut" isn't it.

Tell Boris about the population explosion. how many children has he fathered so far ?

[Chelmsford Swimmer]

IMHO population growth has had minimal impact on climate change. What has had impact is what those humans are doing compared to those 120 years ago. All driving petrol/diesel cars and multiple flights per year. Forestation disappearing at a rate of knots. Everybody wants climate change reversed, but aren't prepared to make the sacrifices necessary. For example I would like an electric car, but wouldn't buy one today, if it can't easily get me to the North of England and back again. Bought a new gas boiler a few months back, now I find out the're a big no no. We need a Government prepared to introduce the unpalatable legislation necessary. Won't happen until the masses switch to green parties in droves instead of handfuls.

[Long slender neck]

Anyone got a breakdown of which activities by percentage cause climate change?

[Adz]

IMHO population growth has had minimal impact on climate change. What has had impact is what those humans are doing compared to those 120 years ago. All driving petrol/diesel cars and multiple flights per year. Forestation disappearing at a rate of knots. Everybody wants climate change reversed, but aren't prepared to make the sacrifices necessary. For example I would like an electric car, but wouldn't buy one today, if it can't easily get me to the North of England and back again. Bought a new gas boiler a few months back, now I find out the're a big no no. We need a Government prepared to introduce the unpalatable legislation necessary. Won't happen until the masses switch to green parties in droves instead of handfuls.

Can your current car easily get you to the north of England and back? You've got to get fuel in the same way you've got to charge it. It's whether you're willing to sacrifice 30 minutes of your time or not?

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

IMHO population growth has had minimal impact on climate change. What has had impact is what those humans are doing compared to those 120 years ago. All driving petrol/diesel cars and multiple flights per year. Forestation disappearing at a rate of knots. Everybody wants climate change reversed, but aren't prepared to make the sacrifices necessary. For example I would like an electric car, but wouldn't buy one today, if it can't easily get me to the North of England and back again. Bought a new gas boiler a few months back, now I find out the're a big no no. We need a Government prepared to introduce the unpalatable legislation necessary. Won't happen until the masses switch to green parties in droves instead of handfuls.

Absolutely nailed it. But selfish so and so’s don’t want to hear that, it’s easier to blame all those other people rather than consider their own actions.

[Ronnie Hotdogs]

Anyone got a breakdown of which activities by percentage cause climate change?

Driving 3%
Flying 5%
Mining Bitofacon 276%

[Chelmsford Swimmer]

IMHO population growth has had minimal impact on climate change. What has had impact is what those humans are doing compared to those 120 years ago. All driving petrol/diesel cars and multiple flights per year. Forestation disappearing at a rate of knots. Everybody wants climate change reversed, but aren't prepared to make the sacrifices necessary. For example I would like an electric car, but wouldn't buy one today, if it can't easily get me to the North of England and back again. Bought a new gas boiler a few months back, now I find out the're a big no no. We need a Government prepared to introduce the unpalatable legislation necessary. Won't happen until the masses switch to green parties in droves instead of handfuls.

Can your current car easily get you to the north of England and back? You've got to get fuel in the same way you've got to charge it. It's whether you're willing to sacrifice 30 minutes of your time or not?

I'll be honest I know little about electric cars, but I believe most electric cars would have a range well under that of my current car with a full tank. Then as you say they there is the time they take to charge. If I do run out of petrol on a journey, I can use a jerry can, not so easy with an electric car. Would happily consider a hybrid.

[Adz]

I'll be honest I know little about electric cars, but I believe most electric cars would have a range well under that of my current car with a full tank. Then as you say they there is the time they take to charge. If I do run out of petrol on a journey, I can use a jerry can, not so easy with an electric car. Would happily consider a hybrid.

Here's a map of charging station in the UK for you https://www.zap-map.com/live/

Here's a table of the range of electric cars in the UK for you https://ev-database.uk/cheatsheet/range-electric-car

How often have you had to use a Jerry Can in your life?
How often do you drive the length of the country?
How often do you drive for 4+ hours without a break?

Bear in mind you'll be leaving home with a full tank, as unlike petrol cars you don't have to go to a petrol station.

I really don't think the limitations of electric cars are an issue for 99.9% of the population. The cost of the car and availability of charging stations is the number 1 consideration for me. They're very exxy in oz, which is puts me off, but I will run my current petrol car to the ground and in a few years time my next purchase will be electric.

[o-no]

What a depressing thread. You can already see people making their minds up about who's 'fault' it is and why them taking any individual action is pointless.

'It's overpopulation' = I don't have any/many kids so it's not me
'I sometimes have to drive a long way' = I don't want to change my car/driving habits
'What are the percentages' = I'm sure I don't do much of whatever it is, so it's not me

and let's not forget the old 'it's China/India/Russia/Brazil opening coal plants/chopping down trees etc etc' chesnut = whatever I do is futile if they do nothing, so I might as well not bother.

It all boils down to 'I want someone to do something, as long as I can carry on doing whatever I like'.

It just gets me down. Many people are smart enough to realise that urgent action is required, but don't realise that THEY are part of the masses that need to do it, and they need to start doing it right now. Here's some things that anyone can do https://www.imperial.ac.uk/stories/climate-action/

But, despite all of this - our kids are utterly buggered. There are just too many people who don't understand, do understand but don't give a sh!t, are struggling with the day-to-day, or are wilfully ignoring the science for this ever to be resolved by individual actions. Politicians of all colours need to sit down together, agree to enforce unpopular policies, and do it. That's about as likely as Lionel Messi signing for the O's.

[Beradogs]

IMHO population growth has had minimal impact on climate change. What has had impact is what those humans are doing compared to those 120 years ago. All driving petrol/diesel cars and multiple flights per year. Forestation disappearing at a rate of knots. Everybody wants climate change reversed, but aren't prepared to make the sacrifices necessary. For example I would like an electric car, but wouldn't buy one today, if it can't easily get me to the North of England and back again. Bought a new gas boiler a few months back, now I find out the're a big no no. We need a Government prepared to introduce the unpalatable legislation necessary. Won't happen until the masses switch to green parties in droves instead of handfuls.

Can your current car easily get you to the north of England and back? You've got to get fuel in the same way you've got to charge it. It's whether you're willing to sacrifice 30 minutes of your time or not?

I'll be honest I know little about electric cars, but I believe most electric cars would have a range well under that of my current car with a full tank. Then as you say they there is the time they take to charge. If I do run out of petrol on a journey, I can use a jerry can, not so easy with an electric car. Would happily consider a hybrid.

Then governments (and I generally hate government intervention in anything with a passion) have to put the legislation in place to make it happen but its going to be hugely difficult. Take electric cars, the easy bit as they are already here and the range is getting better, they are now cheaper, same as ‘normal’ cars, 2 in front 2 in back, dog being sick, kids screaming, yet staggering (or perhaps not) some 50 idiotic Tory MP’s say they are going to fight the ban never mind the millions at home. This despite the fact you not even being asked to throw your old petrol car away, you can use it till it dies. Electric cars are the easy bit. Can you really see Johnson who has such a fragile ego that he needs unequivocally to be loved telling people only one flight a year. Still think we are doomed.

[o-no]

I'll be honest I know little about electric cars, but I believe most electric cars would have a range well under that of my current car with a full tank. Then as you say they there is the time they take to charge. If I do run out of petrol on a journey, I can use a jerry can, not so easy with an electric car. Would happily consider a hybrid.

Here's a map of charging station in the UK for you https://www.zap-map.com/live/

Here's a table of the range of electric cars in the UK for you https://ev-database.uk/cheatsheet/range-electric-car

How often have you had to use a Jerry Can in your life?
How often do you drive the length of the country?
How often do you drive for 4+ hours without a break?

Bear in mind you'll be leaving home with a full tank, as unlike petrol cars you don't have to go to a petrol station.

I really don't think the limitations of electric cars are an issue for 99.9% of the population. The cost of the car and availability of charging stations is the number 1 consideration for me. They're very exxy in oz, which is puts me off, but I will run my current petrol car to the ground and in a few years time my next purchase will be electric.

FWIW I bought an electric car this month and (so far) couldn't be happier with it. I can 'fill' it for about 1/4 the cost of a normal car, there's no road tax, congestion charge, and servicing should be cheaper too. They're not cheap to buy but fairly soon the value of ICE cars will start going the way of diesels. One thing you probably do need right now is off-street parking for home charging overnight, but I can see charger-sharing apps overcoming that before too long.

[Beradogs]

What a depressing thread. You can already see people making their minds up about who's 'fault' it is and why them taking any individual action is pointless.

'It's overpopulation' = I don't have any/many kids so it's not me
'I sometimes have to drive a long way' = I don't want to change my car/driving habits
'What are the percentages' = I'm sure I don't do much of whatever it is, so it's not me

and let's not forget the old 'it's China/India/Russia/Brazil opening coal plants/chopping down trees etc etc' chesnut = whatever I do is futile if they do nothing, so I might as well not bother.

It all boils down to 'I want someone to do something, as long as I can carry on doing whatever I like'.

It just gets me down. Many people are smart enough to realise that urgent action is required, but don't realise that THEY are part of the masses that need to do it, and they need to start doing it right now. Here's some things that anyone can do https://www.imperial.ac.uk/stories/climate-action/

But, despite all of this - our kids are utterly buggered. There are just too many people who don't understand, do understand but don't give a sh!t, are struggling with the day-to-day, or are wilfully ignoring the science for this ever to be resolved by individual actions. Politicians of all colours need to sit down together, agree to enforce unpopular policies, and do it. That's about as likely as Lionel Messi signing for the O's.

Great post.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Everyone stopping eating meat would go a long way as a start.

[Long slender neck]

Everyone stopping eating meat would go a long way as a start.

Totally unrealistic and unworkable.

[o-no]

OK. Everyone significantly reducing the amount of red meat they eat would go a long way as a start.

Not so hard, really.

[Still's Carenae]

The problem you have is the building of coal fired power stations, China 1500, India 500 and Germany 6 (from memory).

China produces more carbon dioxide in a year than we have ever produced. So the problem lies in persuading China, US and India to reduce emissions. Without that whatsoever we do is pointless.

However, if we do go ahead with our environmentalist driven dream, it will be the poorer members of our society that will suffer. The engineers need to be brought strongly into the conversation, then the government may be able to be more realistic in its aims and the economics of this.

We will need in the UK to produce twice as much electricity to get to carbon neutral. How and where are we going to get this from? How much CO2 are we going to produce to get to this point? For example
- Solar panels when made used to (I don't have current data) take more CO2 to make than they saved!

I do not know how much human involvement has affected climate, we just do not know. If you go back 300 years we eere skating on the Thames and this lasted for around 50 years. But 1800 years ago our climate was hotter than now, we were the best wine producers in Europe, when the Romans ruled us. We do not have enough data to understand how quickly climates change. The modelling has been poor to say the least (much like covid - never trust any predictions from our mathematical friends and I should know).

Our media is again only pointing in one direction. I have not heard much about who co2 is good for, good ol chlorophyll. We need a much wider and coherent conversation. If not the rich will get richer and the poorer, poorer.

[Long slender neck]

OK. Everyone significantly reducing the amount of red meat they eat would go a long way as a start.

Not so hard, really.

How long a way?

[o-no]

The problem you have is the building of coal fired power stations, China 1500, India 500 and Germany 6 (from memory).

China produces more carbon dioxide in a year than we have ever produced. So the problem lies in persuading China, US and India to reduce emissions. Without that whatsoever we do is pointless.

However, if we do go ahead with our environmentalist driven dream, it will be the poorer members of our society that will suffer. The engineers need to be brought strongly into the conversation, then the government may be able to be more realistic in its aims and the economics of this.

We will need in the UK to produce twice as much electricity to get to carbon neutral. How and where are we going to get this from? How much CO2 are we going to produce to get to this point? For example
- Solar panels when made used to (I don't have current data) take more CO2 to make than they saved!

I do not know how much human involvement has affected climate, we just do not know. If you go back 300 years we eere skating on the Thames and this lasted for around 50 years. But 1800 years ago our climate was hotter than now, we were the best wine producers in Europe, when the Romans ruled us. We do not have enough data to understand how quickly climates change. The modelling has been poor to say the least (much like covid - never trust any predictions from our mathematical friends and I should know).

Our media is again only pointing in one direction. I have not heard much about who co2 is good for, good ol chlorophyll. We need a much wider and coherent conversation. If not the rich will get richer and the poorer, poorer.

I've read some rubbish on here before, but this takes the biscuit.

[Rich Tea Wellin]

Everyone stopping eating meat would go a long way as a start.

Totally unrealistic and unworkable.

You think?

Don’t get me wrong it’s not an overnight thing. But there’s soooo many factors that meat production impacts on the environment it feels like it might be something we have to adjust to soon. Or eat lab created meat to replace it.

Aside from the obvious impact of methane, food and water, transport, etc… the land it takes that could be used to replenish the environment would be monumental as well.

[KenleyO]

You only have to look at the recent weather to see we have changed the climate.
Places flood that never have done due to intense rainfall.
This is not just due to climate change, but the wally's we have in local planning that have made the urban climate worse.
Charging people to park outside their home and they will concrete over the front garden so they can park for free. This increases run off and puts too much pressure on an already stretched Victorian sewer system.
Increasing the number of dense high rise buildings create wind tunnels so strong that it can shatter the glass in buildings and roofs (the glass roof at East Croydon Station has been broken 2 times in the last 3 years due to this). 3 towers have recently gone up in the area.
All new developments should take these issues into account, but this doesn't seem to be the case.
Money does appear to be the root of all evil, especially when it comes to Planet Earth.

[Max B Gold]

97% of electricity in Scotland is produced from renewables. Well done Nicola, where there is a good leader anything is possible.

Governments can and should set enforceable targets for clean energy production, install ground heating systems, insulate properties, mandate that new builds have solar power to produce and store enough energy to run homes,railways should be nationalised and fares slashed to make it a no brainer to use them rather than a car, their should be no internal flights of 1 hour or less within the UK, all electrical products should be easily repairable, all plastic containers replaced by returnable glass, and so on.

Not many people really need a car. At any one time only 10% of them are in use. It doesn't make sense to go to the shops in a one tonne vehicle to get a loaf.

There should be a leasing system where you can use a vehicle from a local pool and access it with a credit card or code and in time summon it to your front door driverlessly.

[Dunners]

It'll be fine.

[Long slender neck]

Everyone stopping eating meat would go a long way as a start.

Totally unrealistic and unworkable.

You think?

Don’t get me wrong it’s not an overnight thing. But there’s soooo many factors that meat production impacts on the environment it feels like it might be something we have to adjust to soon. Or eat lab created meat to replace it.

Aside from the obvious impact of methane, food and water, transport, etc… the land it takes that could be used to replenish the environment would be monumental as well.

You'll need all that land to grow your vegetables.

Second time I've asked on this thread, as a percentage, how much of an impact is meat eating having?

[Max B Gold]

Totally unrealistic and unworkable.

You think?

Don’t get me wrong it’s not an overnight thing. But there’s soooo many factors that meat production impacts on the environment it feels like it might be something we have to adjust to soon. Or eat lab created meat to replace it.

Aside from the obvious impact of methane, food and water, transport, etc… the land it takes that could be used to replenish the environment would be monumental as well.

You'll need all that land to grow your vegetables.

Second time I've asked on this thread, as a percentage, how much of an impact is meat eating having?

There is more protein and iron in chicken peas than there is in an equivalent portion of beef. FACT.

[Long slender neck]

97% of electricity in Scotland is produced from renewables. Well done Nicola, where there is a good leader anything is possible.

Governments can and should set enforceable targets for clean energy production, install ground heating systems, insulate properties, mandate that new builds have solar power to produce and store enough energy to run homes,railways should be nationalised and fares slashed to make it a no brainer to use them rather than a car, their should be no internal flights of 1 hour or less within the UK, all electrical products should be easily repairable, all plastic containers replaced by returnable glass, and so on.

Not many people really need a car. At any one time only 10% of them are in use. It doesn't make sense to go to the shops in a one tonne vehicle to get a loaf.

There should be a leasing system where you can use a vehicle from a local pool and access it with a credit card or code and in time summon it to your front door driverlessly.

How much leccy does a house with solar panels typically generate?
Not sure we could replace all plastic containers with glass or how much emissions are generated by their recycling.

The rest of what you're saying makes sense, but you wont see these practical ideas being demanded by swampy and co at the next protest.