Skipper

It's hard not to feel impotence and despair over global warming. Today we read that only 30% of people think tax on air tickets should be increased, with 46% thinking it should remain the same. In addition we also read today that George Bush is determined not to budge an inch over his opposition to any action at all to alleviate global warming, on the grounds that we just aren't causing it. Those people who take the same line as Bush also tend to deny there is any warming either, despite the fact that pictures like that on the left seem to provide undeniable evidence.

I am constantly astonished at the determination of people, often highly intelligent and well informed, to deny what 99% of climate scientists are insisting is our last chance to do something about a looming planetary calamity. Another line often taken by the 'near deniers' is that they certainly won't do anything to fight climate change until the biggest polluters, the USA, accept the problem exists and resolve to join the campaign. Others say 'what can little old me do? I'm only one out of six billion people, so my efforts are likely to have such infinitesimal effect that it's best to ignore the whole thing'.

This is, of course, as the boffins put it, 'Bollocks'. When the world's future and that of our descendants are at stake, everyone has a responsibility to join the fight. According to the precautionary principle, even the climate change deniers should seek to reduce carbon emissions until their insistence that they are harmless is proven beyond doubt. The risks are too great not to. The first article linked above tells us that: 13% of fliers have given up flying as a result of climate change; 34% have cut down on short haul flights; and 31% on long haul ones. 29% say they have used carbon offset schemes to reduce the bad effects of their air travel- though it is far from clear whether such payments-mine included- do more than donate money to virtually unknown conmen . 83% of people in the top AB economic groups have flown recently compared with only 52% of those in the lowest DE groups.

All this suggests that voluntary action by fliers- despite their educated profile- is unlikely to be effective. It's sad to conclude, but like any other addicts, people, we, will just have to be dragged away from flying through increased taxes, transport charging and maybe even outright prohibition. Hugely depressing, I know, but there really seems to be no alternative.