Email to Neil Carmichael MP following support to Airbus

Dear Neil,

Enclosed is a copy of the  report I referred to this morning regarding CO2 emissions growth. 

The report is dry and mathematically dense - if you need a hand getting to grips with the mathematics,please let me know.

The general gist is that at present CO2 emissions are increasing faster than exponential. To put this in perspective, if CO2 emissions were increasing at "just" an exponential growth rate which current data suggests is 3.4% per annum, within the next 20 years we will add as much CO2 to the atmosphere as has been added since the start of industrial revolution leading to the total destruction of our civilization.

However, the conclusion of this report is that the situation is even worse, with the exponential growth rate being coupled to the actual growth rate. In essence, this means that the more the CO2 increases, the more the rate of growth increases. The report's analysis does not even take into account the compound failure across the planet of the various carbon sinks such as CO2 saturation of the ocean, Amazonian die back, and methane release from the Arctic.

At present our greenhouse gas emissions projections will exceed the worst case A1F1 scenario of the IPCC report, and some predictions are such that by the end of this century atmospheric CO2 levels will be equal to levels last seen on the planet 250 million years ago at the end of the Permian Triassic extinction event where the average  temperate was 16 deg C higher  than today and 95% of  all life on the planet died out.

This issue is of overwhelming importance and transcends all other policy decisions. It is therefore vital that you:

• Ensure that you understand fully the impact and seriousness of this report.

• Ensure that you disseminate the information to other MPs within your party and other parities. 

• Cease your  support for  high carbon/high polluting industries and companies such as Airbus. Be aware that aviation emissions  have been increasing approximately 4% per annum, leading to a doubling in emissions every 17 years.

• Be aware that the aviation industry has led a highly successful propaganda campaign to convince policy makers and the public that they will be able to reduce emissions through the introduction of new technology whilst maintaining industry growth. Their claims are fraudulent and they are unable to produce any supporting evidence of their claims. All legitimate means have been tried to have these claims withdrawn such as pressing fraud charges, raising the issue with the Advertising Standards Agency, etc, and all to no avail. It is therefore vital that you raise this issue in parliament with the aim of seeking legislative changes to prevent false environmental claims being made either by companies or lobbying bodies who have millions of pounds at their disposal to subvert the vitally important messages and science on climate change.

References and sample false claims:

• Airbus "eco-efficient" claims makes no reference to the increasing total of CO2 emissions, or how world wide  growth will exceed any efficiency gains, or how difficult it will be to make any significant future efficiency gains.  

• Flying Matters, which is the industry lobby group claim on their web site the aviation industry is committed  to improving fuel efficiency of new planes by 50% by 2020 and is committed to get emissions down to 2000 levels by 2050 despite a trebling of passenger numbers.

• The Engineer magazine recognizing that technology will not be able to provide the emission reductions necessary.http://www.neilcarmichael.co.uk/blog/2010/10/neil-flies-into-airbus/