As Great Britain thrust the world into an Industrial Revolution in the late 18th Century, with it came the huge demand for coal power and a subsequent enduring chesty cough for our Earth.
In a landmark victory for climate change, yesterday the UK ran for a full day without burning any coal for the first time since the industrial revolution.
According to the National Grid, Britain has run on ‘zero coal’ for some periods, but it has never happened for a full day.
Hannah Martin, head of energy at Greenpeace said:
The first day without coal in Britain since the Industrial Revolution marks a watershed in the energy transition,
A decade ago, a day without coal would have been unimaginable, and in ten years’ time our energy system will have radically transformed again.
The direction of travel is that both in the UK and globally we are already moving towards a low carbon economy. It is a clear message to any new government that they should prioritise making the UK a world leader in clean, green, technology.
They will need to get on with the coal phase-out plan and recognise the economic potential of renewable energy and energy efficiency. We can meet the UK’s needs for skilled jobs and fair bills, whilst also meeting our climate targets.
In 2008, the Climate Change Act was created as part of the government’s plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and show commitment to the urgent international climate change crisis.
The act commits the government to reduced greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) by at least 80 per cent of 1990 levels by 2050.
The Industrial Revolution, though crucial for the development of our economy, produced a 40 per cent increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere.
The matter of climate change – contrary to President Trump’s beliefs – is urgent. If greenhouse gas emissions continue at the current rate, Earth’s surface temperature could exceed historical levels by 2047, leading to harmful effects on the ecosystem, biodiversity, and human lives.
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