As Halloween approaches, the most terrifying motion picture ever made will be screened in cinemas across the country. Written by and starring the former next president of the United States, Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' has already struck fear into the hearts of those who have seen it.
The film, based upon international scientific opinion, illustrates the effects of climate change upon our planet and projects the likely future effects of climate change if we as a species do not take action to stop carbon dioxide emissions now.
The ten hottest years ever recorded have all occurred over the last fourteen years. According to Scientists, Lake Windermere is hotter than it has ever been, threatening the existence of certain species of fish which live within it. The effects of climate change are with us now and we are approaching the point of no return.
Regular readers will be familiar with my long standing environmental concerns and my work in this policy field - particularly energy policy - but climate change is an issue which requires an unprecedented amount of political attention and effort. Climate change is a bigger threat to us than international terrorism - our common sense tells us this, but too few of us truly feel either fear or urgency.
I am terrified of the consequences of climate change. Terrified of its effects upon my children, terrified of its likely effects upon my grandchildren. Rising sea levels (an effect of climate change) are with us now - this is leading to flooding in many of our villages (Parton and St Bees) and on many of our estates (Mirehouse). Representatives of the Parton flood action group reminded me this week that flooding actually ruins lives. Distraught families become displaced, children are left devastated by the loss of favourite possessions.
On an international level, countries will be destroyed, economies will collapse, famine and disease will be widespread and millions of people will be displaced. People will migrate on a biblical scale to wherever they can find safety, and society as we know it will be transformed.
It is a fact of life which many, but sadly not all, of us acknowledge, that the world is rapidly changing. Many of us will know friends and members of our families who choose not to recognise these changes, who believe that our community is sufficiently remote so that the vast challenges facing the world will pass us by and that our lives can remain unaffected. There are even politicians who will encourage this view.
In this regard, too many politicians obsess about trivia; recently the three major political parties have obsessed over internal issues. Few people care about who the new leaders of the Liberal Democrats or Conservatives are - they are in many ways an utter irrelevance. Likewise, although the party of government, few people are interested in the internal workings of the Labour Party. Little wonder then that so many people turn away from politics and fail to either grasp or understand the realities of the issues facing us. Ming Campbell has just given up his gas guzzling vintage Jaguar as a token of his green credentials (try not to laugh) and David Cameron very ocassionally bicycles to the House of Commons but is followed by a gas-guzzling limousine which chauffers his shoes and shirt (impossible not to laugh). Presented with such hollow sentiments, it is surprising that the public should care at all. Tragically, politics has never mattered more.
When politicians let us down, we must take action ourselves. Al Gore, "a recovering politician" has taken a lead. Our government is leading the world (in the face of much resistance) in the fight against climate change. It can and must do more, but we can be proud. More importantly, we can begin to take more action ourselves. This is our planet, these are our problems, let us make sure that all of our politicians give this issue the attention it deserves - and for those who refuse, let us make sure that they find different kinds of employment.