|
|
|
Climate Change
What
is climate change?
- Climate Change is now high on the political agenda and is the biggest environmental
challenge of the 21st Century. But how much do you know about it?
- According to UKCIP (The UK Climate Impacts Programme), average global temperatures have
increased by 0.6C over the past 100 years with 2004 being the hottest year on record. We can expect
more extreme weather events in the future with changes in temperature, hotter drier summers, wetter
winters leading to increased flood risk and rising sea levels, leading to greater coastal erosion. For
more information on future weather scenarios see the UKCIP website
What
causes climate change?
- Some changes occur naturally over hundreds of years but there is now strong
evidence that human activity is causing climate change. Greenhouse gases, released into the atmosphere
by the burning of fossil fuels release carbon dioxide (CO2) and other gases such as nitrogen oxides
(NO2) and methane build up in a layer high in the earths atmosphere and trapping the sun's energy which
warms the earth. For further information, see the BBC Weather website
What
is ENABLE doing about it?
ENABLE is currently doing a lot of research into climate change to find out how
it can make a difference. ENABLE produced the Climate Change Strategy in 2005 and
is currently leading on the following initiatives - Leicestershire Strategic Partnership and Environment
ENABLE
holds a seat on the Leicestershire Together Board, the Leicestershire Strategic
Partnership, representing environmental issues. ENABLE has been responsible for developing CO2 reduction
targets for all Leicestershire Together partnership organisations as part of the Leicestershire Local
Area Agreement.
- Leicestershire Together Declaration on Climate Change
(357kb pdf)
ENABLE has also developed a Leicestershire Together Declaration on climate
change, adapted from the Nottingham Declaration. Unlike The Nottingham Declaration, which is for Local
Authorities only, the Leicestershire Together declaration can be adopted by many organisations such
as Parish Councils, Strategic Partnerships, voluntary groups, businesses, educational institutions and
the Police, Health and Fire Services.
- Climate Change Action Plan (2,127kb word)
The
scale of the challenges presented by climate change means that all sectors of the community will have
to be involved if we are to meet the national targets on CO2 reduction. The Climate Change Action Plan,
approved by Leicestershire Together, has been developed as a generic action plan for individuals and
organisations to pick and choose the actions relevant to their own situation.
The Climate
Change Strategy took an approach which mapped out a menu of actions for people whether as individuals,
part of a community or an organisation. The Action Plan takes the same approach but has been divided
into actions people can take up without any effort or money, have a greater commitment and are willing
to spend money on making changes in their life and a separate plan for organisations and businesses.
- ENABLE Climate Change Pledge
The climate
change pledge developed by ENABLE gives you the chance to see what difference your carbon saving measures
can make. There are ten simple actions that don’t require making huge changes in your lifestyle and
you don’t have to commit to all actions. Signing the pledge will help us to measure and monitor reduction
in CO2 emissions from ENABLE supporters.
Online
Form If you prefer, here is a PDF version
of the pledge
|
further information
|
Contact: ENABLE Secretariat
Telephone: 0116 305 7242/7332
E-mail: enable@leics.gov.uk
|
Last Updated:
18 June 2008
|
|
e-mail page to a friend