Somerset’s Climate Emergency Strategy and documents
Case Studies
Find out what we are doing and how we are getting our own houses in order Read more
Take action
Top tips and actions you can take to reduce your carbon emissions Read more
Local communities
What local communities are doing to reduce their carbon emissions Read more
Some of the questions you have asked and our answers on what Somerset is doing to address the issues of Climate Change.
Climate change is one of the most significant issues facing the world today. The effects are being felt already. In the UK 2019 was the 11th warmest year on record, with the top 10 warmest all having occurred since 2002.
In a special report of the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the United Nations highlights the need to take immediate action to limit the increase in average global temperatures to a 1.5°C threshold. Even an increase of half a degree beyond this will drastically worsen the risk of drought, floods, extreme heat and poverty.
The challenge of climate change is a global issue, but everyone needs to play their part. This is why the five Somerset local authorities have each declared or recognised a Climate Emergency.
In 2019, the Somerset local authorities (Somerset County Council, Mendip District Council, Sedgemoor District Council, Somerset West and Taunton Council, and South Somerset District Council) all passed resolutions to declare or recognise ‘A Climate Emergency’ and have since agreed to collaborate to produce and deliver an ambitious, joint Climate Emergency Strategy for Somerset.
The strategy will identify ways that Somerset might work to together towards being carbon neutral by 2030 and adapt to predicted climate change impacts.
Current C02 emissions in Somerset
You can find out on the Somerset Trends website how we are doing in Somerset with historic and recent C02 emissions, otherwise known as greenhouse gases. There are both natural and human sources of carbon dioxide emissions. Natural sources include decomposition, ocean release and respiration. Human sources come from activities like cement production, deforestation as well as the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas.
Due to human activities, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide has been rising extensively since the Industrial Revolution.
In 2017 a total of 3285 kt (kilotons) of CO2 were emitted in Somerset from industrial, domestic and transport-related sources. For context, a kiloton of carbon is emitted by 200 average cars in 1 year. In fact, the majority of emissions in Somerset derive from the transport sector – 46.7%, compared to 29.5% from industry and 23.8% from the domestic sector.
Contact the team
“Climate Change, and its impacts on the world we live in, is one of the most significant issues facing us all today…”
Latest news
22 Jun 2021
Pioneering website helps Somerset plan for climate change
A new web-based app is giving people the opportunity to explore the impacts of climate change…...
26 Mar 2021
Creating a resilient, healthy, connected Frome
Last year Somerset County Council launched the Climate Emergency Community Fund and encouraged local communities across…...
26 Mar 2021
15,000 trees planted through Somerset Trees for Water Project
The Somerset Trees for Water Project (ST4W) secured £95,000 in December 2020 for tree planting schemes…...
