Scientists who study the climate as part of their work have said UK and Welsh Government plans to become "net zero" should be brought forward from 2050. This would require faster electrification of heating and transport systems than is currently taking place and a continued expansion of low-carbon sources of power to enable that transition, among other things. Net zero means reducing greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible and offsetting the ones you can't eliminate with measures such as planting trees.
Seven academics in Wales responded to a survey about climate change by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Questions included how concerned they were, out of 10, with 0 "not concerned at all", 5 "fairly concerned", and 10 "extremely concerned". Five responded with a 10, the other two with a 9.
The world has warmed by around 1.2C since the industrial revolution when humans began pumping more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere while continuing to clear forests for agriculture. Economic growth and a rapid expansion of food production followed. But scientists and many politicians and business leaders have warned that rising temperatures threaten the systems on which we depend, partly because climate tipping points - such as locked-in methane escaping from warming permafrost areas - could accelerate the process and make changes irreversible. You can get more environment news and other story updates straight to your inbox by subscribing to our newsletters here.
