How Will Climate Change Affect Me?
How will climate change affect me?
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperature, widespread melting of snow and ice and rising global average sea level.” IPCC scientists have found strong evidence that most of the warming observed during the past 50 years is the result of human activities that produce greenhouse gases, such as burning fossil fuels.
The South East – the risks and opportunities
With our eight-million-strong population, the South East has the greatest ecological footprint of all the UK regions. The environmental challenge is twofold: we must reduce the environmental impact of continued high economic growth and the efforts to provide the infrastructure and housing needed to accommodate it. We must also address the particular vulnerability of our region. Coastal areas in the South East are especially susceptible to sea level rise and flooding, while recent summers have already demonstrated the region’s vulnerability to drought and overheating. Climate scientists predict that these impacts will intensify in coming decades.
But what challenges us also constitutes our greatest asset. As a major centre of communications, business, education, and transport, the South East has the potential to lead the country in reducing our environmental impact and improving our resilience to a changing climate. Climate South East aims to be the leading forum in which partners can share knowledge, inspiration, and real solutions to the challenges of climate change.
Our Changing Climate
In the South East of England we expect climate change to lead to hotter drier summers, warmer wetter winters, higher sea levels and an increase in extreme events such as heat-waves, droughts and flooding. For instance, the heat-wave of 2003 is predicted to become the norm by the summers of the 2050s and to be considered relatively cool by the 2080s.
By the 2080s we can expect:
- Mean annual temperature rise of + 1.2 to + 3.4 oC
- Winter rainfall increase of + 6 to + 22 %
- Summer rainfall decrease of - 8 to - 23 %
- Mean sea level rise in the English Channel of + 54 cm.
- Overall increase in temperature and rainfall variability
- Higher likelihood of summer heat waves and very wet winters
For more information, visit the UK Climate Impacts Programme.
What can be done?
A lot of the answers are already out there. Climate South East is working to develop and share solutions to climate change. Become a member to get involved in our specialist groups, access all of our resources and case studies, and take part in our events.
