[Texgreen] BBC documentary looks at the global warming future

[Roger Baker]

[No doubt a similar analysis would show such flooding problems and =20
heat waves becoming common for Texas too within the lifetimes of many =20=

of those now living. -- Roger]



<http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/=20
2007/01_january/19/climate.shtml>


... British scientists running the world's most ambitious climate =20
prediction experiment have confirmed many fears of what climate =20
change will mean for the UK in the coming years =96 sweltering heat-=20
waves, widespread flooding and storm surges.

Preliminary UK findings of the BBC Climate Change Experiment, which =20
involved tens of thousands of people running climate prediction =20
models on their home computers, will be revealed by Sir David =20
Attenborough in Climate Change - Britain Under Threat, a co-=20
production between the BBC and The Open University which broadcasts =20
on BBC One at 8pm on Sunday 21 January.

The documentary highlights threats from climate change, of floods, =20
storm-surges and heat-waves, but there may also be a few =20
opportunities: olive groves in Devon and the chance of Blackpool =20
topping the league of European beach resorts.

Using the climate prediction results viewers will see snapshots of =20
the future of Britain in 2020, 2050 and 2080 as Sir David guides us =20
through 21st century Britain.

Sir David is joined in the BBC/Open University co-production by Kate =20
Humble and Matt Allwright to investigate how climate change will =20
affect our country and learn how it will affect where people choose =20
to live, the cars they choose to drive and the natural world they =20
treasure.

Flooding will no longer be an issue reserved for those living near =20
flood prone rivers. Victorian sewers unable to cope with heavier =20
downpours will cause havoc in major cities.

Heat-waves like the summer of 2003 will become routine, making =20
conditions in a typical Victorian terrace, and much of the London =20
Underground, intolerable without expensive, and energy-hungry, air-=20
conditioning.

Project co-ordinator Dr Nick Faull of Oxford University describes the =20=

results: "People need to understand this is not a worst-case =20
scenario: this is what we are increasingly confident will happen in =20
the absence of substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions."...=