Extreme weather - a warning of more to come?

Are the extreme storms we are seeing batter the coast of New Orleans at the moment the result of freak weather conditions, or a result of global warming?

An international survey of scientists from 113 different countries suggested that the evidence is that global warming is contributing to more frequent and more severe storms (see below).

http://www.sptimes.com/2007/02/02/Worldandnation/Storm_severity__warmi.shtml

Carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels and methane from cattle and rubbish tips are combining to reflect heat back to Earth rather than it radiate out to space.

We need to end our reliance on the private motor vehicle. The only way to do this in the short term is to switch to public transport, which must be made affordable for everybody. The problem is that our economy is linked to ever increasing use of oil and gas. We need to kick the fossil fuel habit or we will end up with more flooded cities, storm damage, parched deserts where fields once grew and a massive increase in sea level.

Renewable sources of energy could solve the problem. However, governments have been tied to oil companies, and have been reluctant to invest in alternatives. Biofuels will only make the problem worse, as it is incredibly wasteful to set aside land for growing sugar cane to make ethanol. We need massive investment in solar, wind, tidal and wave power. At least renewable energy will not be subject to massive fluctuations in prices due to shortages.

Andrew Walton

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