18 June 2009
RDAs ready to take action on UK Climate Change Projections
England’s Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) have today
welcomed the UK Climate Change Projections report (UKCP09) launched
by DEFRA.
The report includes a number of probable scenarios for national
changes in climate, weather and marine activity due to climate
change. It sets out climate projections, based on Met Office
science - warmer and wetter winters, hotter and drier summers,
increased risk of coastal erosion and more severe weather.
The projections show a range of climate change scenarios up
until the end of the century based on three possible greenhouse gas
emissions pathways – high, medium and low. Currently global
emissions are equivalent to the medium pathway, although there is a
risk we could still be heading for the high scenario. These
projections show the probability of potential changes for the
UK.
The medium emissions scenario shows that by the 2080s – the UK
could be faced with:
• An increase in average summer temperatures of between 2
and 6 degrees C with a central estimate of 4 degrees.
• A 22% decrease in average summer rainfall in the South
East - which is already water stressed - and an increase of
16% in average winter rainfall in the North West, with
increases in the amount of rain on the wettest days leading to a
higher risk of flooding.
• Sea level rise of 36cm.
As the lead RDA for the Department of Energy and Climate Change,
Bryan Gray, Chair of the Northwest Regional Development Agency
(NWDA) said:
“This report comes at a time when the issues of energy and
climate change have become a fundamental global priority, affecting
the environment, economy and energy supplies for generations to
come.
“As lead RDA for the DECC, the NWDA welcomes these new
projections, which will provide a vital insight into the specific
challenges our country and regions will face. Through adaptation,
strong partnership working, business support and sector development
activities, the RDAs are well placed to help lay the foundations
for a sustainable future.
“The NWDA is keen to ensure all RDAs commit to hitting
Government targets to cut carbon emissions by 34% by 2020. In
addition, the RDAs are leading the way through the development of
the new Regional Strategies; energy efficiency and carbon reduction
activity through Business Link; support for the growth of key
sectors such as low carbon technologies; regionally-specific
R&D on low carbon energy innovation and improving the
sustainability of physical developments.”
Speaking on behalf of the whole RDA network and as the lead RDA
for DEFRA, Richard Ellis, chair of the East of England Development
Agency (EEDA), said:
“Today’s findings give us the best information and evidence to
date as to what climate change may mean for the UK and for our
individual regions.
“England’s RDAs have been mobilising partners and providing
regional leadership in shaping strategies for many years and we
have been investing in initiatives to mitigate against and adapt to
the effects of climate change. We will continue to take this agenda
very seriously indeed.
“While the effects of climate change pose challenges to the UK,
there are also real and extensive opportunities to create jobs and
improve the prosperity of people and places across the country,
with the global market for environmental goods and services due to
grow by more than 30 per cent to £436 billion by 2010.
"RDAs continue to support businesses to commercialise new
technologies and innovations, and our roles as regional investors
mean we are ideally positioned to identify and foster further
benefits and promote the necessary changes."
For further information or to download a copy of the full
report, visit
http://www.ukcip.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=163&Itemid=293
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Notes to Editors
For further information please contact Shelley Tattersall, Press
Officer on 01925 400256 or mobile 07500 128482 or shelley.tattersall@nwda.co.uk
For urgent out of hours press enquiries please call 01925
400259.
For further information and to view previous press releases visit
us at www.nwda.co.uk/press
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the
economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is
responsible for:
• Supporting business growth and encouraging
investment
• Matching skills provision to employer needs
• Creating the conditions for economic growth
• Connecting the region through effective transport and
communication infrastructure
• Promoting the region’s outstanding quality of life
EEDA as Chair of Chairs
The East of England Development Agency (EEDA) is the driving
force behind sustainable economic regeneration in the East of
England: Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire,
Norfolk and Suffolk. EEDA’s vision is for the East of England to be
an ideas driven region that is internationally competitive,
harnesses the talent of all and is at the forefront of the
low-carbon economy. EEDA leads on behalf of the RDA network on the
DEFRA agenda.
Additionally, EEDA currently holds the rotating chairmanship of
the RDA national network. This means that EEDA represents the
network to Government and other stakeholders on a wide range of
issues. The role of Chair of Chairs rotates around the RDA network
each six months and EEDA’s tenure ends on the 1 October 2009.
For further information www.eeda.org.uk