Jim, while it is quite true that 10k years ago Britain was much warmer, and hippos and elephants roamed northern and western Europe across as far as the Wash when the much bigger north polar ice-cap caused sea levels to be much lower , I must disagree that the climate now is no different than past times. Reading history tells us that through the Middle Ages there were times of incredibly severe winters and both wet and dry summers, in relatively recent times most winters were very cold, a well known Norfolk man Parson Woodforde (1740-1803 )relates of frequent monstrous snow storms in Norfolk throughout his lifetime even at low levels such as around Yarmouth. The weather in Britain is very changeable, and while it is the case that we do have occasional severe and maybe more frequent rain storms than perhaps a few decades ago, summers seem generally cooler than say in the 60's; but it is not as cold in wintertime. I was a young boy in 1947 winter big freeze, remember severe snow storms several times through 50-60's and the biting easterly winds, which over the past few decades are less frequent and more often south westerlies.[/size][/font]
The trouble with all the ''climate change'' hoohah is that there are so many capitalist vested interests on both sides who will promote data that suits them , powerful energy providers want to sell more, manufacturing comes up with''greener'' products to boost their flagging profit margin, so we get diesel cars,windmills, useless lightbulbs, rubbish water-bound paints and so on, and as PLASTIC says government greedily eyes yet another chance to raise taxes to squander on everything from wars to propping up failed states.
And what can we do about it? sfa!
Trevor