John Major started his term as Prime Minister in 1991 and was succeeded following the Labour Government’s win with Tony Blair taking the role in 1997. Nelson Mandela was freed and the first Gulf War came and went. The Soviet Union collapsed; Britain saw Mad Cow Disease and in the US the Oklahoma bombing killed 800 people. Some 8000 were killed in Bosnia. The Channel Tunnel opened connecting England to France and the Euro was introduced
The 1990’s saw a marked increase in international governmental activity and discussion relating to the impacts of climate change. And there was a recognition that it was a problem that could only be tackled with international cop-operation.
In 1990 80 nations agree to stop producing ozone layer damaging CFCs by 2000.
The first report from the IPCC found that the planet had warmed up by 0.5degrees in the past century and warned that only strong measures to halt rising greenhouse gas emissions would prevent serious global warming. This provided scientific clout for the United Nations negotiations for a climate convention.
In 1991 Mount Pinatubo erupted in the Philippines throwing debris into the stratosphere that shields the Earth from solar energy, which helped interrupt the warming trend, average temperatures dropped for two years before rising again. Scientists pointed out that this vent showed how sensitive global temperatures are to disruption.
In 1992 an Earth Summit was held in Rio. The Framework Convention on Climate Change is signed by 154 nations and agreed to prevent “dangerous” warming from greenhouse gases and set an initial target of reducing emissions from industrialised countries to 1990 levels by 2000
In 1996 at the 2nd meeting of the Climate Change Convention in Geneva, the US called for legally binding emissions targets. After a four year pause, global emissions of CO2 continued their steep climb and scientists warned that the most industrialised countries will not meet the Rio agreement to stabilise emissions at 1990 levels by 2000.
!n 1997 The Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change was created after intensive negotiations. Most industrialized nations and some central European economies in transition agreed to legally binding reductions in greenhouse gas emissions of an average of 6 to 8% below 1990 levels between the years 2008-2012, defined as the first emissions budget period. The United States would be required to reduce its total emissions an average of 7% below 1990 levels, however neither the Clinton administration nor the Bush administration sent the protocol to Congress for ratification.
The governmental programmes on resource efficiency increase and ETSU managed Energy Efficiency, Environmental Technology and Transport Programmes spreading good practice, as well as the Clean Coal programme.
The Energy Saving Trust (EST) was set up and initially 60,000 consumers were advised on energy efficiency. By 2007 - EST advises over 1 million consumers today
In the 90s in there are hardly any condensing boilers. By 2007 –approx 90% of market for domestic boilers. There are hardly any “A” rated white goods. By 2007 - “A” is the base standard in many white goods sectors.
The first voluntary energy efficient agreement was signed with the Chemicals Industry. IPPC/ Environmental management systems BS7750/ISO 14001 are established in businesses.
Emphasis is now focused on the move towards zero emissions coal fired plant. This means the effective demonstration/deployment of carbon dioxide capture and storage.