What is climate change?
Climate refers to the average weather experienced over a long period. This includes temperature, wind and rainfall patterns.
One of the natural processes that affects the Earth’s climate is the Greenhouse Effect. The Greenhouse Effect is where naturally occurring gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide absorb infrared radiation from the sun and trap it as heat in the atmosphere.
Whilst the Greenhouse Effect is natural, humans are emitting ‘greenhouse gases’ such as CO2 at much higher rates than has occurred for tens of thousands of years. These very higher levels of greenhouse gases are absorbing more infrared radiation from the sun, trapping more heat and as a result, affecting temperatures and weather patterns experienced on Earth.
This impact on temperature and weather patterns is what we refer to as Climate Change.
Climate change also has social, economic and financial implications.
The heat wave across Europe in 2003 resulted in dramatic increases in hospital admissions and over 22,000 premature deaths Association of British Insurers, Financial Risks of Climate Change Sumary Report, June 2005. due to overheating, dehydration and other health conditions affected by heat. We are now twice as likely to experience similar hot summers, and by the 2040s more than half our summers are expected to be warmer than in 2003 Association of British Insurers, Financial Risks of Climate Change Sumary Report, June 2005..
A report on the impact of climate change on the West Midlands suggest that with average temperatures set to increase by between 1.5 and 4.5 per cent, the region will benefit from more opportunities to live outdoor lifestyle. Tourism and use of outdoor recreational facilities may increase. Identified at a stakeholder workshop in 2003, key climate related issues for the region include water management, agriculture, energy, land use and the built environment and transport.
There are also employment opportunities and new business opportunities in the expanding environmental goods and services sectors as a result of climate change and widespread adoption of energy saving measures.
Heavy rain and severe flooding experienced in the West Midlands in June-July 2007 highlights the impact that extreme weather events have on households, communities and business. There are significant financial implications related to insurance and the future acceptance of climate change related claims against policies. For example, the annual financial cost of flooding could increase by almost 15 times by the 2080s if certain predictions are correct.
Lawyers are also engaging in the climate change debate, both in relation to claims for damages directly relating to climate change and the emergence of a new ‘carbon finance’ sector, and related new areas of law.
Emergency planners and support services need to be prepared for climate change related events and the health, safety and financial implications they have on the Council and local people. The Council needs to be aware of the opportunities climate change presents to corporate services and the local community, and provide mechanisms to enable these opportunities to be acted upon.
We are already committed to a certain level of climate change due to the CO2 and other greenhouse gases we have emitted in the past, and continue to emit today. But the actions that Walsall Council takes over the next years and decades will have a significant impact now, and on the extent that climate change affects the borough in the future.
If action on climate change mitigation and adaptation measures is taken now and decisions by the Council and other partners involved in this strategy are made wisely, the financial cost will be more manageable and the Council will also be able to demonstrate its ability to improve the quality of life, work and recreation in the borough within its environmental limits.
Action on climate change will benefit every individual who lives, works and visits the borough.