Letter: Climate change and the floods

Dr Leonard Restall B Ed, M Ed (Hons), New Zealand, formerly from Barking, writes:

The recent ‘monsoon type’ floods affecting the local district and in various places in the world may be a portent of greater calamitous events to follow as a result of global warming. There have been various floods throughout the world, the likes have never been seen before: homes being washed away with tsunami effects, underground subways flooded, homes destroyed, and growing crops destroyed.

The water vapour in the atmosphere that becomes rain has initially come from water vapour evaporated from the sea, rivers, and lakes which collects as water vapour in cloud form.

This is giving the world a warning that climate is considerably affected by the occupants of the world. and that any source of global warming such as the release of large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere needs to be reduced and controlled otherwise retribution will result.

There are many thousands of tons of carbon dioxide already in the atmosphere, and there are some major emitters of carbon dioxide through the burning of carbon fuels, which is one of the causes of global warming.

Neighbours unblock a drain in Goresbrook Road after the deluge on July 25 (Image: Ian Gent)

Legislation in various countries seeks to reduce emissions, but it still needs to be a reduction in the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but emission control may only reduce the amount at present going in to the atmosphere which eventually will have some effect.

The more important point is to reduce the amount in the atmosphere already in the atmosphere Both these actions are needed and can be done. If not the situation can only get worse.

Means are being used by some countries and by some major industrial plants already by using carbon dioxide recapture method, that is taking the carbon dioxide out of the result of fuel burning and then either burying it or by chemically separating the carbon from the oxygen.

If large producers of carbon dioxide as a result of their business should then be required to pay for the recapture of the same amount they produced. Drivers of petrol-driven cars would then be required to pay extra for the recapture of carbon dioxide. by means calculated upon the size of their vehicle and miles driven.

The problems associated with global warming are recognised within the international community are serious ones and maybe getting to a stage that may not be easily reversed but need to be.

At present many people rely upon the skill of our rescues services to rescue us from the immediate problem such as flooding, which we are thankful for. But more is needed to reduce the problem before the flooding.