Climate Change Articles

Here are a few climate change articles from the past week.

The Independent carries a Q & A session with Sir David King, the government's chief scientific advisor, much of it focusing on climate change.

The fourth IPCC report on global warming has been released. "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal," its report stated, adding that most of the warming is "very likely" due to human activity. If people keep spewing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, they will "very likely" change climate in this century much more than they did in the 20th century, the report concludes. You can download the report and read a brief discussion article on the Science website. A more detailed discussion is given on the Nature site.

An article by Sir David King, commenting on the IPCC report and calling for international action on climate change, is available on the Guardian website.

Scientific American also has a slightly more in-depth article examining the progress in climate change science over the past decade and the impact this has had on IPCC reports.

Scientific American then discusses a report from the European Commission which proposes forcing oil companies to cut greenhouse gas emissions from drilling, refining, transporting and burning fuel in new rules aimed at fighting global warming.

In the UK, The Independent reported on the 2nd February, that for the first time, the science of global warming and sustainable development is to make its way on to the national curriculum in secondary schools. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which advises the Government on what should be on the curriculum, proposes that climate change should be taught as part of geography lessons, which are compulsory up to age 14. And the Education Secretary, Alan Johnson, today throws his weight behind the idea, ensuring that it will actually happen.