Ideas 19-1...Global Warming - Climate Change

Global warming has been going on ever since the last ice age came to an end, about 9,700 years ago. The most obvious evidence of this lies in the region between the Black sea and Afghanistan, which was once flooded with melt water from the north polar ice cap, and was used by traders to sail along part of the silk road to China. Evidence from the Bible suggests that the terrain the Israelites walked through following the exodus from Egypt three and a half thousand years ago, was anything but as climatically harsh as it is today. Humans have in fact been influencing the Earth's climate for at least twenty thousand years, firstly and more recently through slash and burn agriculture, originally to destroy impenetrable forests of fallen trees containing poisonous snakes, scorpions and spiders.

In addition there have been a series of industrial revolutions starting in the UK, Europe, USA, Japan, South Korea, PRC, etc. Whilst ash from coal fired power stations have been converted into breeze blocks to make walls, and sulphur dioxide has been removed with scrubbers to stop the formation of acid rain, the treatment of carbon dioxide using CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) appears to be too expensive a solution. In the UK HMG is attempting to build another generation of nuclear fission power station employing the French company EDF. The high subsidies for this will ensure that the electricity overheads for UK based companies will likely make them uncompetitive in the global economy. The opposite actions appear to be the case in the PRC where the government appears not to give a damn about the smog in Beijing and their other cities. I get the impression that they want other governments to subsidize their anti-pollution policy. Ash filters and gas scrubber systems cost money, but then so does the long term health treatment of Chinese citizens with lung disorders. The present savings in order to reduce company overheads are unlikely to make sense in the long term. An estimated 5.5 million people die from air pollution each year worldwide, mainly in the PRC and India. In the UK air pollution is monitored automatically, at ground level, in cities, but anyone living in a high rise apartment will have probably seen a band of different coloured aerosols in the air on a still sunny day at about the seventh to tenth floor level, and these don't appear to be monitored.

Whilst the primary source of electricity in a utopia would be from photo-voltaic, wind, wave, tidal, geothermal, and aqua-thermal (heat pump) sources, this would have to be backed up by nuclear, either fission or fusion, to cover for events such as El Nino, volcanic eruption or encounter with a comet or asteroid, which would cloud the atmosphere for years. In a capitalist world these may not make economic sense, but in a world technocracy they would be mass produced, as a contribution to a cleaner world that people in the near future will expect.

In 2020 Amazonia and thirty per cent of the Pantanal tropical wetland burned freely, with smoke drifting as far south as the city of Sao Paulo. 17 million animals are estimated to have died in the Pantanal as a result of the fires. Thanks to the Brazilian government's prompting, thousands of fires have lit up the Amazon. Who started them? Perhaps we should be asking ourselves,'who is going to put them out?' I suspect that many of these fires have been started by lightning. The Amazon is in the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ), renowned for its lightning. This tropical rain forest is drying out. Normally rain falls onto leaves and evaporates. Alternatively the ground water is taken up by the trees and evaporates, known as transpiration. Transpiring forests create rising air which enhances this effect. The winds created carry the moisture inland, a process known as a biotic pump. It is carried by the wind and falls elsewhere in the jungle, only to evaporate again. But now the rain is falling on the scorched ground, then sinking into the thin sandy soil. With so many land plots already destroyed by fire, the water cycle is now haphazard, causing the rain forest to dry out, becoming susceptible to fire. So who is going to put out fires covering thousands of square kilometres, and then plant new seedlings? Amazonia is based upon sand. Once the humus has burned into the atmosphere, all you are left with is sand. The river basin will become a huge desert, like the sand dunes along the coast. When this happens there may well be a knock-on effect in the Congo. All of this is plainly beyond the human races' ability to rectify. The only way to protect these jungles is to place them in the hands of the United Nations, and turn them into Global Ecological Zones, banning both agriculture, mining, hydro-electric schemes and all other development. Will it happen....no. Only a WT can save the human race from itself.

It is known that the Australian outback became a desert about 45,000 years ago when large trees were destroyed, presumably by Aboriginal burn back. Lake Eyre was once a huge lake, that is now a salt pan. And all because the biotic pump action was terminated. Elsewhere, in northern PRC, it is now realised that this area gets its water from Europe, the rain going through half a dozen cycles before it gets there. The rainfall in this area is falling, possibly due to human activity in Europe, or simply due to global warming. Should the Greenland ice cap collapse and freeze dry northern Europe, this river in the sky would cease flowing. Transpiration is responsible for half of all precipitation around the globe, whilst the air movements that they create are probably interconnected. This means that water management should not be confined to individual basins, but to the entire world, that only a world order, such as a WT, can manage. Places like California and Australia burn because their keystone species are extinct. Such species would eat the grass thereby preventing forest fires when lightning or overhead power lines arc. A WT would override local concerns and get species (wilderbeast or equivalent) in, in sufficient numbers to solve this problem.

Power generation and slash and burn agriculture like that in Amazonia and Indonesia are not the only causes of pollution. Inefficient and often unnecessary transportation is also a major cause of air pollution. This is why in a WT people will live in biomes, where they will produce their own healthy food, instead of going to a supermarket to buy unhealthy junk food and even flowers imported from another continent. In a leisure orientated society you will also need something, like food production, to keep you occupied and out of trouble. Won't you? Humans will occupy the biomes. Nature will exist outside, in the wilderness, and hopefully never the twain will meet, except for snapshots. Biomes also ensure a more pleasant computer controlled atmosphere, far from the overcast wind swept and soaked UK climate outside. They will accommodate the extended family, where one supports the other. This is how it used to be for thousands of years before the needs of capitalism took over.

Carbon dioxide from power stations and vehicles is not the only greenhouse gas. Far more reactive is methane, which comes from melting permafrost in tundra regions of Siberia and Alaska for instance. As the world warms up, so do these regions, releasing more methane gas, causing roads to buckle as the underground ice turns to water. Methane also originates from council rubbish tips. Some tips are covered with a plastic membrane which collects the gas which is then burnt off, forming carbon dioxide, sometimes for industrial purposes in green industrial estates or community heating schemes. In its wisdom, here in the UK, HMG decided to create more tips, supported by about fifty million plastic wheelie bins for segregated rubbish, instead of burning the nation's trash in plasma furnaces, which would be hot enough to destroy harmful gases. The cost of such facilities would be reduced by replacing bin men with bin lorries that pick up the dustbin and empty it into the lorry, remotely operated by the driver. Both of these technologies have been available in the United States since at least 2010. Living creatures including humans and farm animals produce methane and body heat. The more humans there are on this planet, then presumably the more farm animals are needed to support them. The factory production of synthetic foods, such as Quorn from fungi, is one environmentally friendly way to reduce greenhouse emissions, but ultimately reducing the human population is the best solution.

The sequestration of CO2 directly from the atmosphere is being researched by numerous companies, four of which are listed below.

Plastic is of course another pollutant. In a world technocracy all plastic would be outlawed, all transport vehicles would be taxis-vans driven by AI and all electric, and of course there would be no rubbish tips producing methane for decades. This would be an age of waste incinerators incorporating plasma furnaces generating temperatures so high that chemical bonds would be broken rebdering the flue outflow harmless. There would be no army of plastic wheelie bins across the country. Our water waste system would be much cleaner, with the mass use of incinerator toilets that do not require flushing. Civilisation would be all electric based upon renewable energy. Gradually the level of CO² in our atmosphere would decline, whilst the nightmare of the Greenland ice cap melting producing an armada of icebergs off the UK's western approaches causing huge temperature fluctuations and ultimately sea level rise, would become a distant memory.

With thirty per cent of the Greenland ice cap currently melting, it is only a matter of time before that melt water undermines the ice cap, causing it to break up and create millions of icebergs in the North Atlantic Ocean, whose presence over one hundred years or more will plunge much of the northern hemisphere into a mini ice age, the secondary repercussions are likely to be apocalyptic. Vegetation found in a 4 m long Greenland ice core, at a depth of 1,500 m and 61 km inland, proves that the ice cap has melted before from 374,000 to 424,000 years ago when CO2 levels were much lower, allowing forests to grow, and moths and butterflies to prosper. It is estimated that to rid the atmosphere of the greenhouse gasses that have entered the Earth's atmosphere in the last forty years would take thousands of years. To extract it artificially would require enormous amounts of energy that only a world technocracy would be prepared to do. The alternative is the complete melting of the Earth's heat sinks, the polar ice caps, plus radiant heat being trapped in clouds, leading to a runaway greenhouse effect similar to that on the planet Venus.

Most environmentalists would agree that the failure of the human race to act on this issue, is primarily caused by governments. We need a world technocracy managing a world meritocracy, with a global economy where ecologically minded import controls would reduce product ranges, unnecessary transportation and ensure the use of recycled products. The human race would limit its meat consumption to rabbit, chicken and farmed fish, until meat could be produced artificially. It would also have to conform to population control.

Currently sea levels are rising 3.3 mm per annum, whilst the Earth's atmospheric temperature has risen 0.75°C to 1°C above the long term average. At the United Nations COP 21 conference in Paris, France, it was agreed to limit global warming to 2°C maximum. The Earth's atmospheric temperature during the last ice age was on average just 5°C lower than it is today. There are many causes for global warming, some of which such as El Nino, the eleven year solar cycle, the Earth's elliptical orbit, precession of axis and inclination are beyond our control. The next ice age will be in twelve thousand years time, after this one. Multi-party democracies can only bang so many heads together, a WT can re-educate everyone, who wants to be re-educated that is.

The following paper on the effects of global warming was written in 2009:

At the time of writing, there are moves to make the next prime minister accountable for the effects of global warming, assuming that this is not some pre-election gimmick. I am moved to know that the PM will definitely fall on his sword the moment the Greenland ice cap starts to break up. Her Majesty's Government (HMG) will no longer run away from its responsibilities, like it did over the BCCI banking collapse. With the world consuming 78 million barrels of oil per day, CO² in our atmosphere increasing by 2 parts per million per annum, 20% reduction in Antarctic sea ice over the last twenty years, global mean air temperature risen 0.6°C in last thirty years and 4°C rise in west Alaska, with a predicted 2°C rise in Greenland in the next 25 years, 40% of Arctic sea ice already melted, flash floods in the UKGB, more powerful hurricanes in Florida, plus others in the south Atlantic and off Baja California Peninsula, roads buckling and homes sinking by metres in west Alaska as the permafrost melts, icebergs sighted off New Zealand, sea level risen 30cm off Florida Keys, flooding gardens, in 2019 as increased Gulf Stream expansion brings continuous cloud and rain to the UK, seriously inhibiting plant growth and flowering, and just how do you stop most of Florida going beneath the waves when rising seas cannot be stopped by barriers, because the sea water will percolate through the limestone's sink hole structure? And of course we only hear about the bush fires in Australia and California, when in reality there are thousands of them across the globe at any one time, and becoming more numerous. There are many scientists who believe that the next mass extinction is already underway, caused by the human race itself. Insurance costs due to global warming in the 1980s were $27 billion, with a predicted 500% increase over the next twenty years, it beggars the question, when will the public executions take place, and what good would it do anyway? Of course the death penalty is banned under part 3 article 1 of the Human Rights Act 1998, except in times of war. Is this war? It is certainly more important a problem than the troubles in the Middle East.

The Australian Great Barrier Reef is bleaching due to rising sea temperatures depleting algae that coral feeds on. 1400 miles of dead white coral, ultimately. Of course deep sea coral is unaffected at present, whilst coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba emit visible light immediately they intercept ultra-violet light from the Sun, as a means of self preservation. Other creatures are less adaptable, as seen by the ever longer list of endangered species. When they're gone they're gone. I wish I could say that about politicians.

There are many things that governments can do, and here are a few suggestions:

In January 2005 edition of Focus magazine, is a photographic montage taken by ESA's environmental monitoring satellite ENVISAT, showing nitrogen dioxide emissions from industrialized areas of the world. It shows what a right mess our planet is in. It occurred to me that it would make a good invitation card, sent to all politicians in the red areas, with the words, 'thinking of you,' as an invitation to a summit in London on the subject of global warming perhaps. In the photograph the air pollution in north east PRC and north east USA stands out a mile, with a red area from the Thames valley to the Ruhr, via Europort (Rotterdam), plus the Po valley, northern Italy. The only red area in the southern hemisphere is around the mining city of Johannesburg, South Africa. The pollution in China appears to be greater than all other areas put together.

Apart from ridding the UK of much of its polluting heavy industry, 'minor' CO² emission restrictions have been ignored. It should consist of the following:

1 Switch off street lighting from 7pm to 7am.

2 Ban attendance to all public events, which could be watched on television.

3 Ban motor sports that use fossil fuel burning engines.

4 Ban import, manufacture, sale and use of fireworks (Nov. 5th, New Year).

5 Ban import, manufacture, sale and use of illuminations (Xmas, Blackpool, Walsall).

6 Ban import, manufacture, sale and use of floodlighting, except for sport venues.

7 Ban barbecues.

8 Impose 1000 pounds customs charge on each person going abroad on holiday.

9 Ban plasma TFT televisions, and all TV sizes over 47 inch.

10 Make compulsory, time or human sensor light switches in work places.

11 Ban the use of radiant heaters outside pubs and restaurants, etc.

12 Ban halogen lighting, in addition to GLS.

13 Ban cryptocurrency mining.

The implementation of these measures is long overdue. Of course much of this would go against HMG's policy towards promoting the global economy. In my opinion the two are not compatible. In September 2021 the PRC announced that cryptocurrencies are illegal, sighting pyramid schemes, money laundering, gambling, financial disorder, etc. No doubt as a prelude to the introduction of an electronic currency. Cryptocurrency mining also consumes a significant amount of electricity in the PRC, which will now be better used elsewhere. Coupled with an announcement banning the sale and construction of coal fired power stations abroad, the PRC appears to be finally taking the problem of global warming very seriously. Well who's next? As for those that use cryptocurrencies, they should consider that earning them by whatever means may well get your bank account frozen for two years whilst your bank investigates whether it was initially obtained legally and whether sufficient taxes had been paid. Even then, buying a house with it may well trigger estate agents and solicitors to carry out a similar investigation. Sellers are unlikely to be prepared to wait two years. For many however, the wait could be eternal. In March 2022 it was announced that 615 million dollars worth of ethereum had been stolen in a hack on the computer game Axie Infinity, making it the second largest cryptocurrency theft.

HMG could also win over other governments through influencing their local governments around the world. Since 1999 the central US government has been engaged in a legal battle on the subject with twelve US states and three cities, who feel that the Environment Protection Agency is not doing enough to regulate emissions under the Clean Air Act. The location of important international meetings such as the European Commission, G8, environment and the World Economic Forum should be considered relevant. Might I suggest the following:

1 The Greenland ice cap, to witness the effects of global warming.

2 Inside the hold of a supertanker. This is no joke, as they are bigger than St. Paul's cathedral. Here you will get some idea of the size of the problem, that the burning of fossil fuels presents.

3 Yellowstone National Park, a source of green energy for the USA.

4 The shores of the drying Aral Sea, the proposed recipient of diverted Siberian rivers.

5 The cliff edge of the Dead Sea valley, created by global warming, and a potential carbon depository.

6 West Alaska, to witness damage to property caused by permafrost melting, since temperatures have risen here by four degrees Celsius in the last thirty years.

7 Manchuria, to witness the state of China's coal deposits, much of which is burning underground.

8 Area 51, where the US president can personally provide a guided tour of the facilities, including a demonstration of US Earth saving technology.

Legal action is not the only way to counter global warming. Here are listed a few ideas, that require substantial funding now.

One way to establish trust, prosperity and ultimately peace in the middle east, would involve the building of a siphon generator across the Holy Land from the Levant to the Dead Sea valley. As originally conceived by Israeli scientists and engineers, it could generate hydro-electricity, but it could also create fresh water by pressurized filtration. The water not diverted for irrigation, would vaporize into the atmosphere, falling as rain in the region. There would have to be several pipes, following lines of latitude, equally spaced across the Holy Land, taking full advantage of the thermal effects that the Dead Sea valley has to offer. The Dead Sea, being one of the lowest points on Earth, has a very dense atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, which is beneficial to plant life. The huge amounts of fresh water generated could be used to irrigate forests of fast growing plants, such as bamboo. This would soak up some of the atmosphere's CO², and hence become part of the carbon trading market, generating wealth for Israel, Palestine and Jordan. It is suggested that this huge construction project be financed by the World Bank. In addition, there exists a plan to construct a desalination plant in Jordan and pump the saline water to the Dead Sea to feed the existing chemical works there. What the resultant chemical reaction would be when sea water is added to the Dead Sea is still questionable.

As the Earth heats up, this would create a mini ice age across northern Europe, due to a huge influx of northward flowing fresh water from Siberian rivers into the Arctic Ocean, and thence into the north Atlantic Ocean. This influx would cool, disperse and eventually stop the warm northward flowing Gulf Stream, which originates from the Caribbean Sea. In normal times, this conveyor is kept going by cold dense sea water which sinks, as fresh water sea ice is created. But the north polar ice cap is now melting, not freezing. Proposed decades ago by Soviet scientists, was a scheme to divert fresh water from these rivers to the Caspian Sea and Aral Sea region for irrigation purposes. This would be a mammoth construction undertaking, comparable to the building of the great wall of China, which could only be financed by the World Bank or EU. It would provide a huge number of jobs for construction workers across Europe. It would also encourage the Russian Federation to join the European Union, and hopefully put an end to unrest in three regions of that accursed land. Once in operation, it would extend the amount of time available for the extraction of excess CO² from the atmosphere.

These measures alone may not be enough to prevent northern Europe turning into an ice sheet with associated tundra, extending as far south as the Pyrenees Mountains, Swiss Alps and Transylvanian Alps. The expansion of the EU to north Africa, to provide refuge for northern Europeans in the event of a Gulf Stream conveyor failure, should be considered.

Carbon dioxide has to be stored in a liquid under high pressure, to prevent it floating off into the atmosphere. Ideally it should be converted into a solid by fast chemical means. Nature converts it into chalk or limestone, after the minute crustaceans that absorb it, die. CO² has been pumped underground to bring crude oil to the surface in Texas since the 1970s. CO² will readily attach itself to microscopic holes in sedimentary rocks. This makes it impossible for it to return to the surface. The main problem with CCS (Carbon Capture and Storage) is the cost of the electricity needed to power the process and pump it underground. A detailed article on the subject can be found in 'Scientific American' magazine Vol. 19 No 2 Summer 2009, pages 52-59.

Bearing in mind that the annual global emission of CO² amounts to 25 giga tonnes, equal to an area the size of the British Isles to a depth of ten metres, makes one realize that prevention is better than cure. Some companies in the oil industry already pump CO² underground, having first extracted it from natural gas to increase its hydrogen content (Norwegian part of North Sea). CO² is also pumped into saline aquifers. In my view pumping CO² down oil wells will merely delay the abandonment of fossil fuel use, whilst the building of so called green coal fired power stations based upon fluidized bed combustion, better scrubbers and underground storage, would mean importing cheap coal from Australia, exacerbating our balance of payment's problems, that will become acute once our fossil fuel exports become insignificant. Greenhouse gases are given off during the mining and storage of coal, whilst more energy will be required to pump the CO² underground. If the growing world population switches to this technology, in a centuries time the planet will be in no better shape, with a run away greenhouse effect assured.

The PRC's recent announcement of the construction of forty nuclear power stations is a step which we should emulate. Their intention to construct two hundred coal fired power stations certainly is not.

Meanwhile unregulated capitalism, continues its unrelenting attack upon the Greenland ice cap. 378 parts per million of carbon dioxide and counting. In my opinion it is already too late to stop the trend. Just a couple of decades ago the Greenland ice cap was increasing in height at the rate of three metres per annum. Now the ice is melting at a net rate of one and a half metres per annum. With black soot precipitating out onto the surface, the amount of sun light absorption will increase, increasing the rate of melt. Cracks in the ice, will no longer be filled with snow, but with relatively warm water. Ultimately the water accumulating at the base could sweep away the moraine, causing an ice slide into the North Atlantic Ocean, and a possible tsunami. Millions of icebergs will be created, making navigation for large ships impossible. The wall of ice and cold fresh water from the melt will stop the Gulf Stream from flowing north and fresh water from rivers flowing south, creating a mini ice age across northern Europe lasting centuries, as the Greenland ice cap slowly disintegrates. Ultimately sea levels will rise seven meters, if the runaway greenhouse effect goes unchecked. Some of these icebergs will be three kilometres deep, having the capability to rip open deposits of frozen methane hydrates located on the edge of continental shelves. This would exacerbate global warming even further. This could also happen when the weight of increasing sea levels causes underwater landslides.

Do not let any prime minister convince you that a drastic change in lifestyle is unnecessary in order to create an ecologically friendly society. Drastic change is necessary. Government legislation is needed to enable the installation of battery recharging points at petrol stations, car parks and pavements outside homes, assuming of course that photo-voltaic technology cannot be incorporated into such vehicles. Numerous other measures would be needed, if HMG is to lead by example, as follows:

HMG hereby offers companies the right to tender for the contract to construct enough prefabricated nuclear power stations, to satisfy the entire need of the UKGB and NI for the next quarter of a century, replacing all existing nuclear and fossil fuelled power stations. This project will be open to tender from abroad, including Japan, USA, South Africa, PRC, Russia and France, and will include any reprocessing and decommissioning costs. Fast breeder and conventional nuclear fission will not be allowed, but pebble, Small Modular Reactor, Travelling Wave Reactor, Tokamak and focus fusion reactors will.

In order to facilitate the possible construction of an evacuation fleet, in the event of a mini ice age, it is hereby illegal to demolish and scrap heavy industry, including power stations, ship construction yards, coal mines, engineering factories and their machines. It is also illegal to export old machinery without a license to do so. All such plant will be secured and moth balled. A government grant will be available to cover all costs.

All existing active industrial units will be converted to symbiotic energy + industrial estates.

Manufacturing processes, or parts thereof, considered not environmentally friendly will require dispensation from the secretary of state, before they can be performed repetitively.

All presently imported food, will be replaced by indigenously grown, using waste heat from power stations, in order to reduce CO² emissions from inefficient global logistics, and to ensure that the knowledge and skill to be self sufficient in food production, is already there when the need to relocate the masses arises.

All new construction will be prefabricated, should it become necessary to transfer these facilities, in the event of the evacuation of the nation.

All new homes will comply with the latest building regulations for environmentally friendly construction, incorporating electricity generating photo-voltaic arrays, hot water producing solar panels, geothermal heat pump system where it makes commercial sense, passive heat recoverable air conditioning incorporating underground air inlet at floor level and venturi outlet on roof, heat retentive triple glazing, self cleaning glazing with water farming capability, TV Internet and telephone communications by both land line and satellite, vehicle battery recharging and electrical inverter home supply capability, electronic locks, burglar and fire proof capability. Three months fresh water tank. Each dwelling must be capable of being assembled and dismantled by the occupants, using an illustrated set of instructions, plus a training course lasting no longer than one week. When dismantled, the parts must fit into no more than three shipping containers, including inflatable furniture, etc.

All road vehicles to be zero emission, by enabling hydrogen fuel cell, lithium ion, Stirling engine/generator or other efficient process. Automobile manufacturers have twelve months to convert their existing designs. A ban on the import of none zero emission vehicles will come into force after three months. Existing garages will introduce recharging points immediately, with recharging under road surfaces at road junctions and certain parking areas. Traditional fuel systems (hydrocarbons) will be replaced within five years. Does not apply to 100% biofuels. Existing road vehicles that have not been converted to green fuels, will be banned from the roads in five years time. In five years time new automobiles will be limited to 400kg weight and must be driven by artificial intelligence, to reduce fuel consumption, and accident costs, which presumably will be covered by the Ministry for Insurance, due to the anticipated collapse of the private insurance industry. All new cars will be hired vehicles using Internet Zip car technology.

Commuters living within two miles of their place of work will either walk or use bicycles.

Commuters living more than two miles from their place of work will use Zip cars (vehicles hired via the Internet, using GPRS and RFID technology), except where exempt.

Car owners will be required to have a full set of approved wheel chains, Arctic clothing, compass, lamp, first aid kit, citizens band radio, maps, heat source independent of vehicle engine, emergency food and drink rations to MOT compliance. Owners must also have a cold weather survival course certificate.

people working for major employers will have their working hours determined by the Ministry for Environment, to reduce traffic congestion and improve fuel efficiency of commuting vehicles.

All homes and businesses will have broadband communication.

All office workers will work at home, communicating with colleagues via Internet Relay Chat (video conferencing), such as Skype and Zoom.

All sales and marketing will be via the Internet, only using sites approved by HMG.

There will be no street lighting and no entertainment centres (public houses, night clubs, brothels, theatres, concert halls, etc.) will be open between the hours of 1900 and 0600, each day.

Like GLS, halogen light bulbs will be banned from UK production and sale.

Television will be reduced to four channels, news, movies, sport and theatre /concerts. These channels will be state supported. There will be no advertising industry and no TV license.

Standby power use on domestic appliances is now illegal, enforced with an automatic 1000 pound fine, except for refrigerators and alarm clocks. This applies to all DVD, television and computer equipment, including that connected to broadband. An estimated 10% of generated electricity is wasted by appliances on standby. Battery powered computer keyboard and mice is also illegal.

All publications will henceforth be on the internet only, and down loadable onto portable e-INK (Librie digital electronic paper) units and computers. Public access to councils, libraries, museums and hospital visits to patients, will be via the internet only. This is partly to conserve energy (building & transportation) but also because it will eventually be necessary to move the state archives, possibly to Australasia or Africa. It will also enable hospitals to be kept cleaner, reducing risk of MRSA infection. To encourage the take up of E-INK HMG will promote the creation and porting of data via an open source foundation. Volunteers should contact the Department for Information Technology. This will apply to world archives, plus education and training material.

(This file was produced on open sourced, and therefore free, Open Office, supported by Apache Software Foundation, the commercial equivalent being Microsoft Office, provides technical back up for a small fee.)

All retailing will be from approved web sites, with warehouse to door delivery. All delivery companies would be part of a consortium. This way delivery companies would not compete against one another in the same area, thereby reducing pollution through inefficient logistics. This monopoly would be limited to 5% profit pa, being monitored by a government body.

Competing products will be limited to no more than three, each approved by the Ministry for Environment.

There will be a total ban on the import of timber and timber products, including that from the EU.

Utility companies will be required to install energy saving technology to the homes of their clients, as follows:

Electricity suppliers will install photo-voltaic arrays, 5kWhr (kilo Watt hours)per home.

Gas suppliers will install solar panels, for the generation of hot water.

Water suppliers will install atmospheric condenser panels, and water conserving measures to existing toilets, of all customers.

Utility suppliers will fit meters at all branches of their networks, and monitor for leaks automatically.

Local Authorities will fit thermal insulation materials to all existing domestic properties, to ensure an overall U value of less than 1.5.

A water national grid, linking the nation's reservoirs, will be built to compensate for the expected fall in precipitation as atmospheric temperatures fall. Power stations will use cooling water from these reservoirs in order to prevent the nation's water supply from freezing up, as overall temperatures fall.

The electricity national grid will become super conducting, the moment the technology becomes available, to reduce transmission loses.

Since it will be impossible to predict what state the global economy will be in once the expected global economic collapse takes place, it is only prudent to make society as self sufficient as possible:

There will be no import of anything except essential materials.

The design and manufacture of all items using integrated circuits or software, will require the approval of the Ministry for Information Technology. Self sufficiency and standardization are paramount.

Of course, if these measures are not implemented by major polluters, as seems likely, then the next step is a foregone conclusion, or is it? With increasing fresh water in the north Atlantic flowing south, the increasingly warm water from the Caribbean could also end up flowing south, possibly resulting in global current reversal, causing Antarctica to melt faster.

Alternatively with the Arctic ice cap gone by 2038, warm current from the Pacific Ocean could stray as far as the west coast of Greenland, sending millions of icebergs down the Davis Strait into the North Atlantic, heating the Greenland ice cap on the way.

Either event could create the expected mini ice age across the northern latitudes of the northern hemisphere. Due to a redistribution of mass (snow and ice) across the Earth's surface, the planet's tilt could change. NASA noted this on the planet Mars recently, due to sublimation of water ice at the equator. On Earth, an increase in tilt would result in a change to sea currents and atmospheric distribution. The weather patterns could change so much that they would be detrimental to agricultural output, resulting in the deaths of millions of people.

Redistribution of mass, namely water from the Greenland ice cap into the Atlantic Ocean, would create uneven pressure on the world's tectonic plates. This could result in massive earthquakes along subduction zones creating tsunamis and numerous volcanic eruptions. Recent research suggests that such melt waters would remain in the Atlantic Ocean for ten to thirty years, before distributing around the globe, due to the effect of ocean currents. The rapid creation of a large fissure in the Earth's crust in northern Ethiopia in 2006 shows that geological events can be massive and rapid. The earthquakes off western Sumatra in Xmas 2005 and Sichuan 2008 may well be examples of such events.

A British satellite detected radio waves from the Sichuan earthquake. Maybe the fitting of this equipment to the ESA Galileo global positioning system would provide a better understanding of the movement of tectonic plates and warn of associated earthquakes.

Clearly, rising sea levels and their flooding effects, upon Bangladesh and Oceania, are not the only factors that governments should consider.

Extreme measures would then be called for: