‘Glaciergate should not distract us from the climate battle’

08-Feb-2010

Recent reports of a mistake in a climate change paper lead some of the media to splash the news that climate change isn’t happening — that we no longer need to worry — across their front pages.

'In a way I wish that were true,' said Lord Smith. 'But it isn't.'

In his speech, Lord Smith explored some of the major changes that will be required over the next few decades and some of the opportunities to make these changes — both within society and our economy, energy and transport policies.

'Climate change is happening'

'Let me lay to rest the myth fostered by some of the media in recent months that somehow the scientific evidence for climate change is deeply flawed, and that recent challenges to one or two points in the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports mean that we don’t need to worry any more.

'There’s no excuse, of course, for science that lacks rigour and a robust evidence base. Sloppily expressed emails at the University of East Anglia were irresponsible and very damaging. A blithe assumption that the Himalayan glaciers may melt by 2035 — when they won’t — should never have been inserted in the IPCC report.

'But let's not allow these one or two errors to undermine the overwhelming strength of evidence that has been painstakingly accumulated, peer reviewed, tested and tested again, and that shows overwhelmingly that our emissions of greenhouse gases are having a serious impact on the earth’s atmosphere, and that as a result climate change is happening and will accelerate.

'Climate science is not a religion. It is fallible. It will be revised as more evidence emerges. But it has very clearly identified the direction in which things are heading, the causes of those changes, and the need to take action before it is too late.'

• Read the full transcript of Lord Smith’s speech (PDF, 69KB)

Act together

The lecture concluded that we will only be able to confront climate change if we act together as a society and economy. Lord Smith said we must value more fully the impact we have on our environment, make the changes we need to reduce it and prepare for the effects of climate change.