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Leading energy ministers have been told the world is on track for a long-term temperature increase of 6C unless they change their priorities. The International Energy Agency (IEA) said on current trends, emissions would double from 2009 to 2050. The deputy director of the IEA, Richard Jones, urged ministers: "Please take our warning seriously."

The latest report on Renewables from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) offers lukewarm support for electricity generation from tidal streams. The UK has some of the fiercest tidal currents in the world, but the CCC says the tidal turbines will deliver energy at a higher cost than PV in 2040. The assumptions behind this pessimism are questioned in this article.

The sun is a key driver of the Earth's climate, but it isn't behind the strong recent warming trend* See all questions and answers* Read about the project Over the very long term, variations in Earth's orbit that shape where and when sunlight reaches the planet are the main cause of ice ages, but this doesn't apply to our current situation.