Staying Cool

Programme Outline

This programme addresses the problems associated with modern industrial societies' consumption of energy, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, and how we might seek to resolve these problems in the future.

The problem of the 'greenhouse effect' is explained by Dr. Mike Hulme of the Tyndall Centre at the University of East Anglia. The greenhouse effect is natural and necessary - it is what allows life on earth to exist. The problem is if we alter the effect - and that is what we are doing. In the last 100 years the amount of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere has increased by 30 or 40% - largely through our use of fossil fuels.

Most of the world's scientists involved in research in these areas believe that the increase in CO₂ emissions is causing a rise in global temperatures, and that this is starting to have major effects on the planet. The polar ice caps are shrinking, glaciers are retreating, and sea levels are rising. This is particularly a problem for many low lying islands in the South Pacific - but even here in the UK land is lost to the sea every year as a result of sea level rise.

It is suggested that there are a number of possible routes to reduce CO₂ emissions.

We could try to generate more electricity without burning fossil fuels: ideas such as wind power from wind turbines are explored. Also growing willow for fuel (which on burning releases only as much CO₂ as it absorbed while growing - and is therefore 'neutral' in terms of CO₂ production). We could seek to reduce the amount of energy we consume by adopting energy efficiency measures around the home, such as insulation, double or triple glazing, using low energy light bulbs and so on.

However, it is suggested that to make a real dent in carbon dioxide emissions, it will take international action. The 1997 Kyoto agreement is mentioned, together with the United States' (the world's largest polluter) recent decision to refuse to ratify that agreement.

The programme then goes on to focus particularly on car use as being one of the most significant sources of greenhouse gases. There are 500 million cars in the world (some 32 million in the UK). In the USA, cars consume over 30 million litres of oil a day. The attempts of car manufacturers to explore the production of more environmentally friendly vehicles is examined - for example electric cars, cars running off fuel cells powered by hydrogen, and hybrids (highly efficient - half petrol/half battery powered - cars).

The floods of the last few winters in the UK are examined and it is suggested that these may be attributable to global warming. It is pointed out that the Thames Flood Barrier at Woolwich used to be closed against flood perhaps twice a year. It now closes twice a month.

In the century to come we have a clear choice. We can either continue using polluting fossil fuels and risk climatic disaster, or we can cut back on our energy use, and embrace renewable technologies, in this way protecting our climate for the future.