Charnwood Borough Council Responds to Climate Change

Date of Release: 08/03/05

Since the Rio Summit in 1992 which was followed by the Kyoto protocol agreements on greenhouse gas emissions, most nations have recognised the huge environmental consequences of global warming. This is caused by an increase in the production of various carbon based gases generated by human activity. These gases are able to partly absorb heat radiated from the earth’s surface and re-emit it as further heat energy. This further warms the surface of the earth and the lower atmosphere.

The consequences of this are seen in steady but drastic changes in climate. This is evidenced in floods and hurricanes destroying the lives of many of the world’s poorest people, such as Hurricane Mitch which affected Honduras and Nicaragua with floods and vast mud slides in 1998. The consequences are also beginning to be seen in our own local climate with more stringent conditions on development from the UK Environment Agency and more frequent flood warnings.

Charnwood Borough Council has responded to the challenge of global warming by signing up to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change. The Declaration commits Councils to reduce their own green house gas emissions and work with the local community to raise awareness of ways to reduce household and business greenhouse gas emissions. The Council held a Climate Change workshop on Wednesday 2nd with local community groups, the business sector, Councillors and Council Officers to begin to develop the Charnwood Climate Change Strategy.
Council Leader, Cllr Max Hunt said “This event has been a great start to the process of seeing Charnwood reduce its impact on Climate change. Work may be being done at Government and International level, but here in Charnwood the effects are already having big effects on us. For example, flood risks have risen causing development costs to rise", he state. "However it has been encouraging to see so many organisations and agencies across the Borough come together to plan the way forward. We have to realise that difficult choices need to be made requiring us all to become wiser in our use of resources.”
The Strategy will be out for consultation towards the end of April. For further information please contact Sarah Cromie by email sarah.cromie@charnwood.gov.uk or by telephoning 01509 634504