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Climate change
Climate change is one of the most significant environmental
threats facing the world today. The impacts of climate change have
the potential to affect the way we live and threaten the natural,
social, and economic environment.
Climate change is a global issue but requires action by every
person.
What is climate change?
Climate change is used to describe the changes in global climate
brought about by the increasing impact of the ‘greenhouse effect’.
The greenhouse effect occurs naturally: it involves a layer of
gases around the Earth stopping some of the sun’s rays from
escaping into the atmosphere. This keeps the Earth warm.
However, through burning fuels like coal and oil, humans emit
large amounts of greenhouse gases, such as Carbon Dioxide (CO2),
Methane (CH4) and Nitrous Oxide (N2O), into the atmosphere. The
build-up of these gases around the Earth stop more and more of the
suns rays from escaping, making the Earth warmer.
This warming is likely to bring about:
- higher sea levels
- higher temperatures
- more extreme weather events, such as heavy rainfall or heat
waves
- less rain
- water shortages
- loss of wildlife, as habitats are changed or destroyed.
Not all impacts will happen everywhere, but some are likely to
affect your life in some way. To find out more about the science of
Climate Change, visit
the Official UK Government website DirectGov.
International action on climate change
Global - Under the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change, countries agree to take
action and reduce emissions, and prepare for the impacts of climate
change around the World.
National - The UK Government has short and
long-term plans to tackle climate change and passed the
Climate Change Act in 2008.
What is Redbridge doing?
Climate change is one of the four overarching priorities in the
Redbridge Sustainable
Community Strategy (SCS) and we have developed a climate
change strategy as part of the Redbridge
Environmental Action Plan.
This includes:
- making sure that, as a Council, we minimise our impact on
climate change by reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions
that come from our buildings and transport vehicles
- making sure that we reduce the greenhouse gas emissions of the
Borough by working with schools and businesses, and by showing
residents how they can reduce their own emissions
- making sure that Redbridge adapts to the changing
climate.
What you can do
At home:
At work:
Redbridge news
Find out about things that are happening in the borough.
