Climate Change

 

"Climate change is the most severe problem that we are facing today, more serious even than the threat of terrorism."  Sir David King, UK Government Chief Scientific Advisor, 2004

 

The effects of global warming and the resultant effects on our climate are already being felt here in Eastleigh Borough with increasingly wetter, windier winters and hotter drier summers.

 

Climate Change will affect everyone and impact on the way this Council works and interacts with the Community. It is a phenomenon that cannot be ignored.

 

The Council's updated Climate Change Strategy  ( pdf ) for Eastleigh outlines the main objectives we have to mitigate and adapt to climate change. In so doing, we accept that we have an important role to play in setting an example to our local community (through our own business management activities) and in encouraging positive action within our community through our interaction with it (via the local planning process for example). A key objective of the updated strategy is the Council’s plans for  Going Carbon Neutral by the 2012 Olympics.   

 

Doing Your Bit

If you are a local householder, school, college, community organisation or business, you can navigate round several webpages on this site that will help you reduce your carbon emissions.

• Energy
• Home Energy Conservation
• Transport
• Waste Minimisation and Recycling   

But, vital as it is to reduce your carbon dioxide emissions, you should also look at how the changing climate is going to effect you, your family or your organisation.

You can for example

• Reduce your water consumption in business or at home
• Reduce your risk of sun or heat related illness
• Make sure you know if you are at risk of flooding and what to do to minimise your risks
• Design any new buildings or renovations to be climate proof and comfortable to the current and future users 
• Assess and manage the climate change risks to your organisation or business

And remember, climate change in the Borough will bring opportunities as well as threats so if you are in business, how you will manage a changing climate?

 

What the Council is Doing

The Council is currently reducing its carbon dioxide emissions through hundreds of different actions as illustrated by the 2007 Climate Change Action Plan.( pdf )  However, our main focus is now on our Going Carbon Neutral by 2012 programme.

 

The 2008 Climate Change Action Plan will be open for Public Consultation soon. If you would like to be involved in that consultation, contact Judith Beard on 023 8068 8085 or email sustainability@eastleigh.gov.uk

 

The Council is also assessing and managing the risks of Climate Change by encouraging all units to use appropriate tools provided free by the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP)

 

As well as working on a local level on managing the risks and uncertainties of climate change both on our local community but also in our business activities, the Council is a proactive member of the Executive Committee of the South East Climate Change Partnership working with a wide range of partners to ensure that the South East as a whole can adapt successfully to the changing climate.

 

This council is also raising local awareness of climate change issues and sustainable use of energy with various projects within the community funded by the Council’s Green Energy Reserve Fund.

 

We also now have a unique local carbon dioxide compensation/offsetting fund called CarbonFREE

 

And watch out for our Climate Change Roadshow Eastleigh Borough ,,,,,, towards a low carbon community during 2008 at a local community event in the Borough .