Elvetham Heath Footprints
By Ruth Jarman, 4th February 2010
Have the Siberian conditions we have had recently made you think differently about climate change? I’ve found it hard to believe that the earth is sliding towards uncontrollable heating while sledging snowy slopes or walking through foot-deep snow amidst the winter-wonderland beauty of the Hampshire countryside.
But we have to remind ourselves that climate change doesn’t depend on whether we believe it or not, or what the temperature is in one small part of the world where we happen to live.
We had a cold winter this year, not because the world was colder in general, but because our air was coming from a different direction. In most winters, and certainly those in the last 20 years or so, our winds normally come from the south-west. This means air travels over the relatively warm Atlantic and we get mild conditions in the UK. However, over the Christmas season the Atlantic air was ‘blocked’ and cold air flowed down from the Arctic or the cold winter landmass of Europe.
However, it is not cold everywhere in the world. In the map below you can see that North-east America, Canada, North Africa, the Mediterranean, and south-west Asia have all seen temperatures above normal – in many places by more than 5 °C, and in parts of northern Canada, by more than 10 °C.
Looking at the average earth temperature, climate change is still following the scientists’ predictions and causing the earth to warm up.
Following the failed Copenhagen conference at the end of last year, it is even more important for individuals, communities, businesses and governments to each play our part in sending our carbon emissions sliding down the slope to sustainability as fast as we can.
Heath Footprints Tip-Toe Tip
Pretend your car is still snowed in one or two days a week and walk, cycle, car-share or take the bus!
Links:
[1] http://www.operationnoah.org/sites/default/files/Untitled-5.jpg