WORCESTER: The Copenhagen Summit has damaged the cause of climate change and could lead to UK consumers 'switching off' from the global warming debate, according to one of the UK's leading manufacturers of heating technologies.
The verdict on the international summit was delivered by Worcester, Bosch Group who also voiced concern about the impact on the uptake of renewable technologies.
Neil Schofield, the company's head of sustainable development commented: "My fear was always that this summit would set a new set of objectives, but fail to provide a roadmap about how to achieve them. My fear now is that the scenes of horse-trading and bickering will have done enormous damage to the cause of climate change and turned off the British public from getting involved or considering measures to make their own contribution."
The Copenhagen Summit agreed that "deep cuts" in emissions are required but failed to agree on emissions targets for either 2020 or 2050; failed to find agreement on the shape of an international body to monitor emissions or produce a timetable for turning the accord into a binding international treaty.
"The debate over climate change is carried on at a rarefied level which has no basis in reality for the British consumer," Mr Schofield stated.
"The way to get people involved is not to talk about the threat faced by rising sea levels to a small Pacific Island, tragic though it is, but to bring it closer to home by talking about what individual households can do to help.
"As a nation, we have done little to explain the domestic household contribution to climate change or engage the British public. We need to persuade consumers that increased efficiency and renewable technologies can lead to lower bills and help save the planet."
