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Climate Change
The message from the leading climate science institutions; from the Met Office, the Royal Society and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is clear. Man-made climate change is happening and the consequences are potentially severe. Action on dealing with the causes and effects of climate change is still at an early stage of development.
Somerset County Council is taking a strong leadership role in tackling the local causes and effects of climate change through a number of award winning initiatives, now consolidated into “Responding to Climate Change in Somerset”, the County Climate Change Strategy.
The increased risk of flooding is the most serious of the many challenges posed by climate change in Somerset with a county-wide consensus of the need to take action. This level of awareness has also enabled the local business community to take a leading role in developing commercial opportunities in renewable and sustainable energy technologies.
Somerset County Council is working with strategic partners and local communities to inform, encourage, support and coordinate action on climate change. The optimum solutions will be arrived at through engaging with the skills, energy, resourcefulness and enthusiasm of the people of Somerset to deal with the challenge.
Below are some examples of the work undertaken by the Council:
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Responding to Climate Change in Somerset (see information below)
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Rising To The Challenge (a Somerset climate change awareness campaign)
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The Nottingham Declaration
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Responding to Climate Change in Somerset
A meeting of the Full Council on 20 February 2008 adopted the "Responding to Climate Change" document following a major consultation. It sets out the challenges posed to Somerset by climate change and how the Authority will seek to adapt to those changes while reducing its own carbon emissions.
Key commitments include:
Reducing Somerset County Council's own carbon emissions by 30 per cent by 2015, relative to the baseline emissions of 2008.
All the Council's service areas will assess the potential impacts and opportunities of climate change and prepare appropriate action plans.
Publishing an annual Climate Change Action Plan, detailing actions and targets for each of its service areas to deal with the causes and effects of climate change.
Engaging and working with local communities, key stakeholders, Government agencies and the business community to ensure success in dealing with the challenges posed by climate change across the County.
Councillor Jill Shortland, Leader of Somerset County Council, said: "These are significant targets, but Somerset County Council needs to take firm lead on this crucial issue if we are to protect our environment for future generations. Climate change has the potential to seriously impact on the lives of all of us, and it is important we all pull together to tackle its cause and impacts. Together we can make a difference."
Somerset County Council already has a range of award-winning projects and initiatives to reduce emissions and promote renewable energy. These include the 'Watts On' energy efficiency campaign within County Hall, Biomass heating schemes, the award winning Somerset Biofuels Project and the successful 'Rising to the Challenge' climate change communications campaign.
Copies of "Responding to Climate Change" will soon be available from all libraries and Council Information Points. Alternatively you can download a copy of the Responding to Climate Change in Somerset click on "Publications" panel on right.
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