Prime Minister Tony Blair warned yesterday that "time is running out" over climate change and he is "shocked" by scientific forecasts about the future.

Mr Blair, said: "It is a huge issue and it is important to get the political will in place to deal with changing weather."

The premier spoke out at a discussion between professionals working in industry and the "green" movement, held at the headquarters of energy company Solar Century in London.

He told them: "It is a huge issue and time is running out.

"When we had the last presentation on this from Government scientists, I was quite shocked at how the evidence of the speed of this is gathering."

Mr Blair said his Government had seven years ago "played a major role" in getting the Kyoto agreement, which legally binds countries to making cuts in carbon dioxide emissions.

He said: "We did all that. I suppose seven years ago there was a lot of scientific debate but what has persuaded me subsequently is that the more the scientific evidence accumulates, the more obvious it is.

"There's no other explanation, otherwise we are living through some sort of phenomenal thing for which there's no explanation.

"But if you look at the evidence, it is absolutely clear what is happening."

Wednesday September 15, 2004