TAKE THE CLIMATE CHANGE CHALLENGE

Scientists have been warning us about climate change since the 1960s. Ecologist and keen veg grower Becky Searle looks at what a changing climate means to gardeners and how we can help to mitigate it

- Becky Searle

We have known for almost W 200 years that increased atmospheric carbon can affect global temperatures.

Recently, Sir David Attenborough simply warned us that "if we don't act now, it will be too late". In 1992, a total of 1700 scientists signed a 'Warning to Humanity' about climate change, and in 2017 this warning was repeated, but this time signed by more than 20,000 scientists worldwide.

"Scientists are, for the most part, conservative creatures. That 20,000 of us would put our name to this statement ought to indicate to the world that this is an issue deserving of the full attention of mankind," says Professor Dave Goulson in his best-selling book Silent Earth.

Governments have been warned, children have been taught, rallies have been held, and news has been spread. Some of us have already noticed the symptoms; the weather events, wildfires, the lack of arctic ice, and the droughts. The impending climate crisis is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore, and yet ignore it we do. Life goes on in the shadow of this steadily gathering storm.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO US?