The issue

What is climate change, global warming and the Greenhouse Effect?

Climate change, also known as global warming, is the heating up of our planet since the Industrial Revolution. Air, land, and ocean data show that global temperatures are linked with higher levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air. CO2, along with other greenhouse gases like water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide, traps the sun's energy, keeping it from escaping into space. NASA tracks these changes on its website.

The Greenhouse Effect is a complex subject but basically it means long-term changes in the climate rather than daily weather.

What are the causes of climate change?

Carbon dioxide levels have shot up since the 1800s due to human activities, reaching to 417 parts per million - higher than it’s been in 800,000 years!

What are the effects of climate change?

Global temperatures have risen by 1.17°C since 1880. The Arctic ice is melting 13.1% per decade, ice sheets are losing 428 billion tons annually, and sea levels are rising by 3.4mm per year. The IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report has all the latest information. Shropshire will see changes like more extreme weather events and impacts on local agriculture.

How are weather and the climate related?

Weather is what happens day-to-day, while climate is the long-term average over decades. Global warming leads to more intense and extreme weather events. The UK Met Office explains these changes well. In Shropshire, expect changes in local weather patterns such as hotter drier summers and warmer wetter winters with the increased risk of flooding.

Does climate change affect me?

Absolutely!

Climate change is already impacting food, energy, water, and local supply chains all over the world, including right here. We need to tackle these issues to adapt and become more resilient to the changing climate:

  • Impacts on food, water, and energy supply chains
  • Higher insurance costs and financial impacts
  • Mass migration from affected regions

Want to learn more? Check out the Zero Carbon Shropshire website.

What does it mean to Shropshire?

Climate change could seriously shake things up for us here in Shropshire. Here's how:

  • Biodiversity loss: We're losing plants and animals
  • Heat waves: More hot days, the need for air conditioning
  • Water shortages: Less water to go around
  • Food supply issues: Supermarkets and local farms struggling
  • Flooding: More frequent autumn and winter local floods. Read more about this on our drainage and flooding pages
  • Health impacts: Higher social care and healthcare costs and strain on NHS
  • Infrastructure: Expensive to maintain roads, buildings, and energy systems
  • Financial risks: Insecure and higher utility, insurance and water costs
  • Migration: People moving here from other parts of the UK and the world

Can we stop it?

Yes! We can cut down greenhouse gases (GHG) to slow down climate change and global warming. Due to the timescales of the carbon cycle, stopping it right away is unlikely. Even if we stopped all GHG emissions and achieved net zero tomorrow, it would take about 100 years for the earth’s atmosphere and climate to balance out. However, in the grand scheme of things, that's not too long, so it's definitely worth reducing GHG emissions now.

Further information and links

You may find out more about the science of climate change on the Royal Society pages. Also, the BBC's 'Climate Change: The Facts' documentary.