The UK’s Guardian newspaper recently covered a new report from the Potsdam institute for Climate Impact Research, which argues that only a return to pre-industrial levels of CO2 emissions climate change can save the planet from the effects of climate change.

Professor John Schellnhuber, director of the institute, is worried that even a small rise in temperature could cause events like methane being released from melting permafrost that would trigger further warming. But he says that if we do manage to stabilise CO2 emissions, then science fiction technology could be used to actively extract CO2 from the atmosphere.
This report follows one launched earlier this month by Manchester’s Tyndall Centre for Climate Change research.

The Tyndall Centre report blames political inaction that has lead to a need for extreme solutions – some countries might have to resort to blocking out the sun to prevent unbearable temperature rises. If these measures sound a bit too sci-fi to you, the report's authors argue that “the time may well come when they are accepted as less risky than doing nothing.”

The trouble is, by the time we know for sure whether we need to take drastic action it could be too late. It’s like a game of Russian roulette but the stakes aren’t just one life – all our lives are at risk here.

Personally, I’d need a bit more convincing that some of the wackier ideas will help the planet rather than get us into deeper water – you only have to look at the nuclear power industry to see how a barmy and dangerous solution is touted as a safe and clean alternative to coal generated electricity.

But someone should point out to the EU Commission that back in pre-industrial times there weren’t any cars on the road (remember that cars in the EU contribute nearly a quarter of its carbon footprint) so big changes are needed.

I reckon it’s about time for the car lobby to stop playing Russian roulette with the climate and take some serious action to get CO2 emissions down across all their cars.