Our climate is changing. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that the changes to our climate are as a direct result of human activity. This activity is causing the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, trapping energy from the sun and causing our climate to change.  The central England temperature rose by almost 1°C over the last century.

The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) data for Leicestershire, which builds upon the results of the Potential Impacts of Climate Change on the East Midlands report, suggests that climate change could include the following adverse effects:

• A risk of less water available for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes, this could effect Leicestershire more than other places as the county has a greater reliance on river catchments as a source of water;
• A risk of more extensive and frequent flooding – records indicate that there are around 25,000 properties in Leicester and Leicestershire at risk of flooding;
• A risk of increased temperatures, (of up to 2 to 3.5°C) with a greater number of ‘hot periods’, such as the summer of 2003; and

Whilst sea level rise and increased desertification The process by which fertile land becomes desert typically because of drought will not directly impact on Leicestershire, we do need to consider the ethical issues of whether we can stand idly by whilst they happen as well as the issues of increased migrationary pressure that they will cause.

The delivery plans for how Leicestershire Together’s aims to tackle climate change and its effects:

• How we are reducing local authority carbon emissions (NI 185)
• How we are planning to adapt to climate change (NI 188)
• How we are increasing the amount of waste we recycle, reuse or compost (NI 192)
• How we are reducing congestion (NI167)