00:00 My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Krebs,
00:01 for securing this debate.
00:03 We have all too little debate on climate change.
00:06 It's all the more important that we have it now,
00:09 since critics of any aspect of this policy
00:11 find it increasingly difficult
00:13 to get a hearing in the media.
00:15 Here in this House, at least, we cannot be censored,
00:17 though it seems we do run some risk
00:19 of losing our bank accounts if we dare to speak up.
00:23 What are those consequences of the hotter, warmer summers
00:26 and warmer, wetter winters?
00:29 At the moment, seven times as many people die from cold
00:32 as from heat, as in Britain.
00:33 Rising temperatures are likely to be beneficial.
00:37 The Government Actuary Department, no less,
00:39 wrote in April this year, and I quote,
00:41 "It is the low winter temperatures
00:43 "that have a greater effect on the number of deaths.
00:45 "Since the start of the millennium,
00:47 "a decline in deaths from cold temperature periods
00:50 "has more than offset any increase
00:52 "in the number of deaths associated with warmer temperature
00:55 "over the same period."
00:58 Now, my Lords, I'm not sceptical about adaptation.
01:01 I'm sceptical about mitigation.
01:03 We must put aside the current mood of hysteria
01:06 and we must try to assess the choices logically.
01:10 Now, when people like me argue about the costs
01:11 of mitigating climate change,
01:13 we're often told there is no choice,
01:15 not acting costs even more.
01:18 Now, I question that.
01:19 [BLANK_AUDIO]
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