The Climate Change Act 2008
The 2008 Climate Change Act made Britain the first country
in the world to set legally binding ‘carbon budgets’,
aiming to cut UK emissions by 34 percent by 2020 and by at least 80
percent by 2050 (on 1990 levels). Action is focussed on five
fronts:
-
Protecting the
public from immediate risk
-
Preparing for the
future
-
Limiting the
severity of future climate change through a new international climate
agreement
-
Building a low
carbon economy
-
Helping individuals and businesses to play their
part
Full detail of UK
policy and action is available on the websites of the Department of Energy
and Climate Change and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs.
The International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reported in 2001 that
recent climate changes have already affected many physical and biological
systems and that predicted climatic extremes may have major
consequences.
The UK Climate Impacts Programme has estimated that by the 2020s the sort
of dry summer we had in 1995 (37% drier than average) that brought with it
drought and low flows in rivers could occur once in every ten years. By the
2050s it could occur once every three years and by the 2080s it could occur
once every two years. The variation between the seasons could be much
larger. Winter rainfall could increase by up to 30%, with more
intense precipitation, and summer rainfall could decrease by up to 50%.
West Midlands Regional Climate Change Action Plan
The West Midlands Regional Climate Change Action Plan, was
formally launched by the Regional Minister in December 2007. This sets out
the actions that the regional organisations can take over the next three
years to move towards a position where all regional policy addresses the
causes and impacts of climate change as a central objective.
Please see the associated page on the Climate Change Action Plan for
further details.
West Midlands Climate Change Impact and Adaptation
Partnership
Dramatic weather events have made us more aware of the potential impacts of
climate change and responding to these impacts is a growing area of
concern for us all. Based on an assessment of likely changes in the West
Midlands it is believed that key adaptation issues for the region will be:
-
- Flooding - increased risk from river and surface water flooding
- Biodiversity - increased pressure on the natural environment and
- Water scarcity - through decreased rainfall and higher temperatures
To focus specifically on the impacts of Climate Change on the region the
West Midlands Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Partnership has been
established. Managed by SWM, the partnership includes representatives from
across the public and private sectors who are working together to help the
region face up to the climate challenge.
