In the beginning (the Industrial Revolution – early 18th century.) Transportation – the canals; mechanisation – water, and particularly steam-power began to spread.

The new Mills attracted people into burgeoning towns, the rural areas were correspondingly depopulated, agricultural land was enclosed – and the population grew! Society became more and more dependent upon coal, and then iron. We became increasingly dependent upon “Fossil Fuel” which put much greater quantities of Carbon Dioxide (and other pollutants) into the environment……

The process continued; larger cities, more and bigger mines, improved transportation, huge mills, exploding population, deforestation, devastation of habitats…… more CO2! Come the 20th century more consumption of raw materials, wider ranges of Fossil Fuels with more diverse uses, increasing population (again!), widespread industrialisation, intensive farming, monocultures……. all of which increased Greenhouse Gas emissions and began to raise the atmospheric average temperature!

Thus; the melting of polar ice-sheets (which will NOT raise water-levels) and polar ice-caps (which WILL), potentially permanent disruption of local weather- and global climatic, conditions!