The Dorchester Carbon Project

With the Copenhagen Climate Conference fast approaching here are a few facts you need to know:

• Up to 20,000 people are expected to attend the Copenhagen summit.
• The Copenhagen summit aims to limit the global temperature increase by no more than 2C. Without action it will increase by 6 to 7C by the year 2100.
• Global CO2 emissions have risen by 29% in the past decade.
• The average US citizen emits 19.9 tonnes of CO2 a year; the average UK citizen emits 9.3 tonnes.
• China emits the most carbon emissions, 21.5% of the total. The top 10 countries in the world emit 67.2% of the world's total.
• The UK has experienced nine of the 10 warmest years on the record since 1990.
• An average domestic flight, rather than a high-speed electric train, produces 29 times as much carbon dioxide.
• The global population will increase by 34% by 2050 - an extra 2.3 billion people - to 9 billion, quadruple the 1951 figure.
• The proportion of very dry land has doubled since the 1970s and global sea levels have risen 10cms during the last 50 years.
• Tropical deforestation is responsible for approximately 20% of world greenhouse gas emissions.
• Studies have concluded that global warming may drive one quarter of all land animals and plants to extinction by 2050.
• Over 40% of current CO2 emissions are caused by the choices we make as individuals!