From Robert Thorniley-Walker
Maybe popular TV documentaries highlighting life in the polar regions and the impact that global warming will have on the area will initiate what your story called the “climate blame game” (12 November, p 6).
However, from now on legal negligence could be determined simply by looking at the risk assessment, or the lack of one, drawn up when the carbon was released. My paper “Carbon footprint and risk assessments”, published in ICE Energy (DOI: 10.1680/ener.2011.164.4.147), considers the UK Engineering Council’s advice to assess the risks to distant people from emissions for all projects.
From a limited survey of engineering opinions, my paper suggests that the hazards to life and the probabilities of these hazards occurring are both orders of magnitude worse than normal civilian dangers. Action or mitigation is therefore essential. There could be rich pickings for the lawyers.
Northallerton, North Yorkshire, UK
