
The planet's climate is affected by a variety of different things including the sun, the sea, the land and the atmosphere, and it is known that in the past the earth's climate has been both warmer and colder than it is today.
Scientists have developed models to show why this happened, using only natural events such as volcanic eruptions and increased activity of the sun. But when natural events of the present day are put into these models, they cannot explain why the earth is warming up, unless the effects of man's activities are added in.
When this is done, the increase in CO2 caused by man explains the increase in temperatures we are seeing now. This is hardly surprising, because we know CO2 in the atmosphere keeps the earth warm and we also know more of it is released when we burn fossil fuels.
It is also important to remember that after it is produced, CO2 stays in the atmosphere for about 100 years. This means that any we release now will continue to affect the earth's climate 100 years into the future.
Cool Stoke Project is run by Stoke-on-Trent City Council. Office address, Environment and Heritage Group, Regeneration and Heritage, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, PO Box 630, Civic Centre, Glebe Street, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 1RF. VAT registration number 2800 65377