WhatDoTheyKnow?

Dear Mr Snowdome,
Thank you for your email of 1 May concerning climate change and global warming. There is no doubt that recent changes to the climate are predominantly due to human activities, although uncertainties relating to the magnitude and impacts of climate change still exist.
The UK has accepted the assessments of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) as providing the most authoritative picture of climate change and uses the IPCC assessments of the science to guide domestic climate policy and the UK position in international climate negotiations.
The large number of scientists involved has enabled the IPCC to obtain a consensus of opinion that reflects the views of thousands of experts in the field. There is more confidence than ever in the predictions of climate change and in the abilities of climate models to make those predictions. The IPCC is careful to keep science separated from the political negotiations that take place at the United Nations Climate Change Convention meetings. The scientists in the Working Groups write the reports, which are then extensively reviewed and edited in draft before government renew and final acceptance. IPCC assessment report and technical documents are not written or changed by governments.
For more information on the IPCC, please see:

www.defra.gov.uk/ENVIRONMENT/climatechan...

The debate on climate change has now shifted, from whether we need to act towards how much we need to do by when, and the economic implications of doing so. The time is therefore right for the introduction of a strong legal framework in the UK for tackling climate change.

The Government recognises that our understanding of climate science and economics has developed significantly over the last few years and will continue to do so. Legislation, such as the Climate Change Bill, acknowledges this and has inbuilt mechanisms to allow its modification in light of emerging science.

I hope this is helpful.

Yours sincerely,

Lucy Mundy
Customer Contact Unit
Defra

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)

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