March 9th, 2009 | Climate Change, Energy Saving Tips, Transport
River Severn ‘could be dry in summer by 2080′
The new Shropshire Council is preparing for climate change on the basis that there will be a four degree hike in temperature by 2080, with winters wetter by 20% by 2050 , summers 30% drier by 2050 and more extreme weather generally. This means that the river Severn could actually dry up in summer, but also that there will be an increased risk of flooding when it does rain.
Bone dry in summer, more of this in winter?
The new council’s consultation document identifies the effects of this climate change across the board: damage to buildings and infrastructure, loss of biodiversity, loss of landscape character (so the area is less attractive and tourism declines), and issues of water quality and supply together with health risks for older people in the hot summers.
Over a third of Shropshire’s carbon emissions - nearly a million tonnes - come from transport; and if you take all greenhouse gas emissions, transport in Shropshire accounts for about half of it. But we all have to travel! However, if we all travelled in cars that did 60 miles per gallon we could reduce those emissions by 15% and save money too. It is , as they say, a no-brainer…
We can help you to find ways to reduce your own carbon footprint. Drop in on a Thursday at the Mayfair or the Square (alternate weeks) and talk to us; ring us on 07528 493181 or email info@strettonclimatecare.org.uk and we’ll give you a FREE energy checkup. There’s no catch, no selling - we’re a charity
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Could be worse than that - see what James Lovelock has to say on http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2008/mar/01/scienceofclimatechange.climatechange
R K Pettiford seems to know something the rest of us don’t. Perhaps they would like to back up their comment by providing us with their scientific evidence. Ground water supplies all over the country are getting lower year on year and on the sandy soil farms of Shropshire - where water extraction licences are required to irrigate the fields to grow the food we eat - there will almostly certainly be serious summer water shortages in the future.
[...] Council’s long term strategy documents include one on climate change, but we want to know what priority the Council will give to these [...]
[...] Council has already calculated that at four degrees the River Severn will be dry in summer and flooding regularly in winter by 2080. Here in Stretton we are unlikely to still be running the annual Duck Race as Carding Mill Valley [...]
[...] changing the path of the stream or erosion due to heavy rains that could block the stream. Even the River Severn will be affected, so poor little Carding Mill Valley is unlikely to be as perfect as it is [...]