At the end of September, Richard Betts, head of climate impacts at the Met Office Hadley Centre, described a temperature rise of 4oC as “an extreme scenario”, but also “a plausible scenario” within people’s lifetimes. He added: “the most severe scenario is looking more plausible”.
According to scientists, a 4oC rise over pre-industrial levels could threaten the water supply of half the world’s population, wipe out up to half of animal and plant species, and swamp low coasts.
Two wins. One deal?
Power company E.ON announced on 7 October that it would not go ahead with its planned coal-fired power station at Kingsnorth in Kent (for at least two years). It became clear on 11 October that airports operator BAA will not submit a planning application for a third runway at Heathrow airport before the next general election, will not sign binding third runway-related contracts before then, and will not fight for the additional runway if the Tories form the next administration.
The Conservatives have staked their green credentials on halting airport expansion at Gatwick, Heathrow and Stansted. (But not the Thames.)
Kingsnorth and Heathrow: two big wins for climate activists. Interestingly, the BAA climbdown was followed two days later by news that the government was retreating on its plans for a “special administration regime” to enforce rigorous financial controls on BAA.