It might seem that this man-made climate change would be a positive thing for the UK, giving us warmer summers and fewer cold winters. But hotter summers and less rain in the south and east would mean water shortages, forest fires and damage to crops and wildlife. In the north and west there could be much heavier rain and more flooding, and as the polar ice caps continue to melt, rising sea levels will threaten many coastal communities.

Rising temperatures could lead to an increase in insects, with bloodsucking ticks, scorpions and poisonous spiders becoming a feature of life in a hotter UK. There could also be an increase in pest infestations (fleas, wasps, mice and rats) and diseases. Mosquitoes carrying diseases such as Dengue fever and West Nile virus have already invaded the US because of rising temperatures.

Overall, the cost to society, the environment, our health and the economy is likely to far outweigh any benefits.

Concern for the environment is one of the most important issues affecting peoples' lives, according to a new survey, which found 73 per cent of the public claim to be passionate or concerned about green issues. Just 45 per cent held such strong feelings about the environment ten years ago

Sir Nicholas Stern’s report, The Economics of Climate Change, made clear that the “risks of inaction in the face of climate change are very severe”. The report states that a lack of “urgent collective action” will result in flooding, famine and drought. And your house is partly to blame: according to the WWF, every household in the UK creates about six tonnes of carbon dioxide each year, more than is produced by the average car. In the wake of the Stern report, the Government has promised to cut CO2 emissions by 60 per cent by 2050.