Governments and leaders across the world continue to struggle with reductions of greenhouse gases, the main cause of the worrying changes in world climate referred to as "global warming". Just like a greenhouse, a build up of these gases in the atmosphere traps heat from the sun close to the earth's surface and gradually causes an overall rise in temperature.

The most important greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide, mainly produced by burning fossil fuels like petrol. Normally, trees help to maintain the balance by absorbing carbon dioxide and producing oxygen, but the atmosphere is being dealt a double whammy as we chop down vast amounts of forest at the same time. In case the prospect of a warmer world doesn't sound such a bad thing on a cold day in London, global warming causes greater extremes in climate because it changes the way our weather systems work. Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott was absolutely right when speaking on the Thames floods of 2002, describing them as "a wake-up call" for us in the UK to take these issues very seriously. That time, we escaped dramatic flooding in Hammersmith & Fulham, where none of us are very far from the River Thames, but the serious flooding just upstream in Maidenhead should prevent us from being complacent. Not only that, but we should be aware that flooding of our homes in west London is prevented by discharging large amounts of sewage into the River in order to release capacity in the ageing London drains. Quite apart from the health issues, this is a tragedy at a time when the Thames has become one of the cleanest rivers in Europe.

So can we do anything about it? Clearly, the main impact has to come from international agreements, such as Kyoto and Toronto and, more importantly, a willingness by governments to enforce them. Apparently, the UK government aims to cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 23 percent before 2010, almost doubling the current legally binding limit. If the United States did the same, the global influence would be enormous. The USA, the world's largest polluter, and China (swiftly chasing that position as its economy grows at a staggering rate) are vital to get on board. Under the current administration, however, the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina, fires in California etc. still have failed to wake the nation up to the realities of climate change.

We cannot blame the great politicians, however, for any reduction will be impossible to achieve if we as individuals continue to be increasingly demanding consumers of petrol, energy and resources. We can all do our bit by thinking about the effect our own lives are having on the environment and by changing our bad habits. Our pensioners often recall the days of post-war rationing and how they found ways of making the most of everything available, so perhaps those of us who are younger can get some ideas about waste reduction by listening to them.

We have enormous choices as consumers these days and, if we use our imaginations, good habits can even be a lot of fun to put into practice in our families and local neighbourhoods. For instance, you may find that walking to school as a group of parents and children is a safer and more enjoyable experience than you thought. In my own experience, riding a bicycle to work is always faster and less frustrating than using the car and also keeps me fit. It would be even more enjoyable if there were fewer cars on the road. Do we really need that gas-guzzler or are we just "keeping up with the Jones's" (or the Prescott's, for that matter, take note Mr "Two Jags")? Why not be the proud owner of the most energy efficient, least polluting vehicle in your street? Maybe you could start a car sharing scheme or campaign for more effective cycle paths.

Locally, the Council must continue to take a strong lead by giving greater incentives for good practice and stronger penalties for damaging the environment, such as congestion charges. Only the most ostrich-headed can deny that the global problem is a serious one, but I am convinced that a major part of the solution lies with ourselves as individuals and local communities. We can either change how we run our lives now or take a gamble on the future of our children. I, for one, am not a betting man.

(Link to: Take Global Warming Seriously campaign, run by Poole Local Agenda 21: www.tgws.org.uk )