last updated 1st December 05
by 4ecotips.com

CO2 levels at the highest for 650,000 say studies

Two studies, published in the journal 'Science', show CO2 levels are the highest for 650,000 years and sea levels have been rising twice as fast in the last 150 years as in the previous 5,000 years. (1)(2)

The studies, added to the myriad evidence released this year, led The Guardian to call 2005 the 'Year that climate change became undeniable'. The leader of the study on sea levels, Professor Kenneth Miller, is quoted as saying, "It is due to humans".

Green Party principal speaker Keith Taylor says: "Every study that is released cements the consensus among independent scientists over man-made climate change: It is undeniable.

"We will have 50 million environmental refugees by 2010 (3); the economic cost of cleaning up environmental catastrophes is incalculable; and already the climate change-related annual death toll is 150,000 (4) - a figure certain to rise year on year.

"Professor Thomas Stocker, project leader of the European Project for Ice Coring in Antarctica, and his team have shown the link between CO2 levels and global temperature.

"If, in the light of this, we continue to allow buildings to be built without efficiency measures and without some form of microgeneration; or allow shockingly inefficient cars to be sold at the standard tax rate; or continue to subsidize the aviation industry, then we cannot call ourselves intelligent beings.

"We need to show the government that putting loyalty to business and the free market above the well-being of the public is not acceptable."

One good opportunity for this is the International Day of Climate Protest on Saturday, 3 December in 30 cities around the world. In London, a march starts at Lincoln's Inn Fields, Holborn at 12 noon.