A milestone passed

By Lachlan Fulton

Many will agree that increasing the concentration levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere by one part per million (ppm) is not likely to have an overwhelming effect on climate conditions.

However, people like round numbers and last week’s increase of CO2 from 399ppm to 400ppm represents a milestone in the amount of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere.

This figure of 400ppm is one which has not been recorded in over 800,000 years and moves us further away from the 350ppm which will need to be achieved if we are going to avoid dangerous global average temperature gains of more than two degrees.

The regrettable news of this milestone unfortunately follows the news that three leading energy officials have resigned from post in recent weeks – Ravi Gurumurthy, Jonathan Brearley (both prominent advisers at DECC) and Ben Moxham (key adviser to the prime minister on energy and climate change policies).

Although the reasons for their departure are unclear, with the Energy Bill still going through parliament, the changes have the potential to jeopardise a key piece of policy required to guide the decarbonisation of the national grid.

All this may sound a little bleak, but it does serve to reinforce the message that to lower the global atmospheric CO2 concentrations the construction industry must maintain its efforts to reduce CO2 emissions through innovative design and effective carbon management.

With signs that the government could stumble, it will be up to industry professionals to lead the way.