Читать книгу How Can I Stop Climate Change: What is it and how to help - Литагент HarperCollins USD, F. M. L. Thompson - Страница 105

Do nothing to cut carbon dioxide emissions and the amount in the atmosphere will just build up. Climate modellers describe this scenario as ‘business as usual’. It assumes that emissions continue to rise at current rates – assuming continuing growth in the economy, and the on-going use of fossil fuels. If this were to happen, carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel would more than double by 2050 globally. Yet if we reduce the amount of energy we use, or start to switch to non-fossil fuel energy, we will slow down the rate of growth in emissions. It may sound obvious but the faster we make changes, the quicker carbon dioxide levels will stabilise.

‘The investments made in the next 10-20 years could lock in very high emissions for the next half-century, or present an opportunity to move the world onto a more sustainable path.’ Stern Review