UK government study foresees irreversible climate change

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4660938.stm

Rising concentrations of greenhouse gases may have more serious impacts than previously believed, a major scientific report has said.

The report, published by the UK government, says there is only a small chance of greenhouse gas emissions being kept below "dangerous" levels.

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In the report's foreword, UK Prime Minister Tony Blair writes that "it is now plain that the emission of greenhouse gases... is causing global warming at a rate that is unsustainable."

Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett said the report's conclusions would be a shock to many people.

Principally people in the White House, I imagine. It's a good thing the president doesn't read the papers; I'm sure his staff will insulate him from this nasty blow...

The European Union (EU) has adopted a target of preventing a rise in global average temperature of more than two degrees Celsius.

But that, according to the report, might be too high, with two degrees perhaps being enough to trigger melting of the Greenland ice sheet.

This would have a major impact on sea levels globally, though it would take up to 1,000 years to see the full predicted rise of seven metres.

And above two degrees, says the report, the risks increase "very substantially".

This could involve "potentially large numbers of extinctions or even ecosystem collapses".

Such a rise could also lead to "major increases in hunger and water shortage risks as well as socio-economic damages, particularly in developing countries".

no surprise there...

Official papers which were previously secret have shown how ministers were advised to delay devolution to maintain control of North Sea oil revenues.

The 1970s documents warned that if devolution increased calls for independence, the loss of oil income might leave the UK virtually bankrupt.

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A senior Whitehall civil servant wrote: "Progress towards devolution should be delayed for as long as possible, consistent with honouring the government's commitment to move down the devolution route and containing the SNP lobby in parliament."

Another official warned in 1975 of the impact on the rest of Britain's economy if Scotland moved to independence and took control of North Sea oil.

He said: "The Scots have really got us over a barrel here. The prospects for a separate English, Welsh and Ulster economy on the same assumption must look pretty grim."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/4661584.stm