The author defines ‘global dimming’ and explains that the cooling effects of this are masking the effects of ‘global warming’ such that, by the next century, the UK will have a climate similar to that of North Africa with many parts of the world completely uninhabitable.

If it is accepted that global dimming exists then we would no longer have the luxury of a gradual transition to a low carbon future; the bulk of carbon emission sources would have to be removed or replaced within the next ten to twenty years. This urgency would mean that the choices open to mankind would be severely limited. Of course, global dimming can be dealt with by cleaning-up emissions. However, if the causes of global dimming are addressed in isolation then the effects of global warming will increase even more.

This has already happened in Europe, to a large extent, with the 'greening' of industry in the late-1980s and 1990s. Removal of global dimming continues to expose Europe to the increasing effects of global warming and the extremes of weather such as the heat wave in 2003, which killed thousands in France, forest fires in Portugal and flooding in central Europe.

Under a global dimming scenario, all indications point to nuclear power being the answer with renewables playing an increasing role over time as technology and society develops towards a renewable-led future.