Environmental analysis news: UK government makes landmark climate change announcement

The British government has launched the latest stage of its Act on CO2 campaign, which includes its first ever direct public information announcement that human activities are responsible for climate change.

In the new wave of TV adverts and posters, images depicting how the British seasons could change will be on display around the country.

Commenting on the campaign, Joan Ruddock, energy and climate minister, said: "These posters will be appearing in streets across England, bringing the issue of climate change to our doorsteps."

She added that the government wanted to challenge the view that the effects of climate change would be more profound in distant countries.

A recent survey carried out by the Department of Energy and Climate Change found that 50 per cent of respondents do not believe that climate change will affect them.

"It is here, it is happening and it affects each and every one of us," Ms Ruddock stated.

UK climate projections published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs earlier this year estimated that, in its worst-case scenario, summer temperatures could rise by as much as nine degrees C in some areas of the country before the end of this century.

Posted by Joseph Hutton