ALMOST daily there’s a report indicating that country after country intend to phase out cars powered by fossil fuels, with diesel first to go and then petrol. It seems likely that within twenty years or so most new cars will be electric, with some hydrogen powered ones in Japan.

It will be like the first decade after 1900 when the horse gave way to the fossil fuel vehicles that have now ruled for over a century.

But until electricity dominates there will be still be tens of millions of cars powered by petrol or diesel and they’ll continue to produce enormous amounts of carbon dioxide, just at the time when all the evidence tells us to start reducing it.

It’s essential that the level in the atmosphere is no more than 350 parts per million, and this August the world figure was 405.07 compared with 402.25 ppm just one year ago, so it’s still increasing.

There have been enough significant weather events this year to suggest that the climate is becoming more energetic and dangerous, with enormous rain storms and countries half flooded, all apart from the records set by the excessive hurricane activity in the Atlantic.

So one way or another we have to be serious about cutting back on CO2 producing activities, and as we don’t seem able to give up flying we need to do something about the way we drive.

I live at the foot of a steep hill, and young men drive largish cars up and down it at more than the speed limit, revving their engines, and braking hard. Every time a brake light goes on it screams three things – a waste of petrol, a waste of money and the production of quite unnecessary CO2.

I really wish they understood what they are doing to the lives of their future grandchildren.