Climate change

What is climate change?

The word climate is used to describe the average weather experienced over an extended period of time. It includes such things as average rainfall, temperature, wind speed and hours of sunshine. Over the millions of years since the earth was formed, the global climate has naturally fluctuated.

The Earth is kept warm by the energy from the sun. Some of this energy is reflected from the earth’s surface back into space while the rest is absorbed by the land and the oceans. The energy absorbed by the land and oceans is not enough to keep the surface of planet at a habitable temperature for humans. The global temperature we experience now is only possible through a natural phenomenon called the greenhouse effect. This is where some of the energy that would have been reflected back into space, is absorbed by greenhouse gases. This energy warms the greenhouse gases and is then reflected back to earth and helps warm the planet. These greenhouse gases act like a quilt that traps heat and keeps the planet warm. While the greenhouse effect is natural and essential for life to exist on Earth, the level of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere has been increasing.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is one greenhouse gas which has been increasing as a result of the burning of fossil fuels (oil, gas, coal etc). Evidence has shown that it is highly likely this increase in CO2 has caused this rise in temperature over the last 100 years and that if left unchecked, global temperatures are likely to increase and the climate become warmer (Global Warming). Further details and information about the science of climate change can be found on the website of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Why should I care?

It is now recognised that Climate Change and global warming is a reality and that whilst climate is subject to natural fluctuations, the recent acceleration of temperature is due to human activities, mainly the burning of fossil fuels. This releases large amounts of CO2, which is a key greenhouse gas. Despite the United Kingdom historically being one of the highest emitters of greenhouse gases it is one of a handful of countries least likely to be affected by climate change. It will be affected, however, to the extent that under a ‘least emissions scenario’ mean summer temperature will rise by 0.7 to 2.7 degrees by 2020. Winters are likely to be wetter and summers drier; extreme weather events will be more common. Worldwide food and water shortages could cause mass population migration. Locally, symptoms will include damage to infrastructure and increased strain on services such as health provision.

What is being done?

The 2008 Climate Change Act set legally binding carbon targets and aims to cut the country’s carbon emission by 34% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. A wealth of information about the UK governments approach to climate change can be found on the Department of Energy and Climate Change website.

What is the Council doing?

Wiltshire Council has set up a Climate Change team to tackle the causes and consequences of climate change in the following ways.

The work in these 4 distinct areas will form the council’s climate change strategy. In order to guide and steer the process a climate change board, has been set up. This board is chaired by Councillor Toby Sturgis and will over see all projects pertaining to climate change. It will also be able to contribute to the delivery of wider corporate objectives as well as the Wiltshire Local Area Agreement.

If you would like further information on Wiltshire Council’s climate change initiatives, we can be contacted via the contact details below:

Contact Details

Email: climate.change@wiltshire.gov.uk
Telephone: 01225 713220
Fax: 01225 713437
Postal Address:
Climate Change Team
Economic Development Planning &Housing
Wiltshire Council
County Hall
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8JN

Last updated: 10 December 2009