Over the last year a growing body of evidence on climate change has come to light, and following examples of extreme weather in recent years, the phenomenon is now firmly in the public consciousness.

As Daelnet reported yesterday, statistics released by NASA show that 2005 was the warmest year since the late 1800's. The effects were felt globally with the Arctic sea ice shrinking to its lowest extent last summer. Hurricane Katrina demonstrated just how sensitive even developed societies can be to extreme weather.

'Avoiding dangerous Climate
Change'

It is almost universally accepted now within political and scientific circles that temperatures will continue to rise and that extreme events are likely to become more frequent with global warming. But how much climate change can we take, and how can we avoid levels which could be considered dangerous?

These are the questions explored in a new book launched by Defra - the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

The "Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change" book gives an account of the most recent developments on the science of climate change, explores how much climate change is too much and how we can avoid it.

It examines the consequences of different levels of climate change in terms of impacts for different sectors and regions, as well as the world as a whole. And it considers technological options that can be deployed to achieve different levels of climate change as the world moves to a lower carbon economy.

The UK Climate Impacts Programme has already shown that the impact of global warming on the Yorkshire and Humber region will be significant. UKCIP is predicting that the region will be between 1°C and 2.5°C warmer by the 2050's.

Such a warming is certain to have an impact on the Yorkshire Dales. As rainfall decreases by up to 10%, we could see our moorland closed far more often as the risk of fire increases. Some bird species - such as the Black Grouse - could disappear from Yorkshire moorlands as they move farther north. Bracken - the bane of many a farmer and gamekeeper alike - will thrive as the ground becomes warmer and drier.

The book builds on the scientific findings presented at the "Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change" conference, which took place at the UK's Met Office, in February last year at the start of the UK's G8 Presidency.

Writing in the foreword of the book, Prime Minister Tony Blair said; "This book will serve as more than a record of another conference or event. It will provide an invaluable resource for all people wishing to enhance global understanding of the science of climate change and the need for humanity to act to tackle the problem."