Climate change
Climate is the average weather over an extended period, and climate change is the shift in those average conditions, which has always naturally fluctuated throughout the earth's history.
However, current scientific consensus is that human activity - mainly the burning of fossil fuels - has caused a rapid increase in global temperatures, resulting in long-term climate change.
The greenhouse effect
Many human activities require energy generated by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil and gas) which releases greenhouse gases (GHG) such as carbon dioxide into the air. Industry, agriculture and our handling of waste also emit methane, nitrous oxide and industrial chemicals - other important GHGs.
Large quantities of greenhouse gases have built up in the atmosphere forming a kind of 'blanket' trapping in heat and causing an unprecedented increase in average global temperatures of 1°C since the industrial revolution, whereas previous changes have happened over much longer periods.
This rapid change is leading to more frequent and severe weather events, sea level rises due to melting glacier ice, and disruption of global weather patterns.
This has negative impacts on crop growth and human health, and places certain species at an increased risk of extinction. The effects are exacerbated further by human activity such as changes in land use and deforestation.
How our climate is changing
In Derbyshire we're seeing more frequent and severe flooding events, warmer, wetter winters, and like the rest of the UK, some extremely hot weather for longer periods.
The latest report from the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that certain changes are irreversible. It also states with high levels of confidence, that 'deep, rapid, and sustained reductions in greenhouse gas emissions would lead to a discernible slowdown in global warming within around 2 decades'.
But we have to make changes now to how we live and work to minimise the increasing effects of climate change.
What we have to do
We've made a commitment to 'achieve Net Zero by 2032 or sooner', through reducing emissions across our estate and operations, as well as working with other councils and partners from business, industry and the community across the county.
What we're doing
- we approved the Climate Change Strategy in October 2021 and recruited a team to implement it within the council and with partners across the county
- we reduced emissions from our street lighting by 83% in 11 years through an LED replacement scheme
- we're de-carbonising our vehicle fleet with 8 electric pool cars, 7 other electric cars or vans, exploring other electric vehicle fleet replacements, and using telematics to improve driving and route efficiency
- we completed the Derbyshire Spatial Energy Study as a tool for planning renewable energy generation
- we're supporting the development of the low carbon economy through the Green Entrepreneurs Fund
- we're reducing waste sent to landfill through strict specification and well managed waste management contracts
- we've launched the Million Trees campaign, the Natural Capital Strategy and the Sustainable Procurement Strategy
What you can do
You can:
- become one of our Energy Champions, email climate.change@derbyshire.gov.uk
- register and use the EV pool cars for business trips, email gogreen.fleet@derbyshire.gov.uk
- report faulty radiators and lights etc and any leaky taps to commissionaires, email mailbox.commissionaires@derbyshire.gov.uk or the building manager for your premises
- think about your travel to work - could you use public transport once a week, or walk or cycle?
- book onto Climate Change - Everybody's Business training to increase your understanding of climate change and its implications
For managers
- at team meetings, discuss how climate change will affect your team's activities
- make sure that all any job adverts contain the mandatory text around climate change
- ensure that all new starters complete the mandatory climate change induction training
- include climate change targets in PDR discussions
Email climate.change@derbyshire.gov.uk if you have any questions.