Key climate change facts:

• The effects of climate change are cumulative, irreversible, and caused by actions in the past and present
• CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere are unprecedented in the last 650,000 years
• Most global warming of the last 50 years has been through increases in greenhouse gases
• Warming of the earths climate is happening and our choices now will effect everyone in the long term
• Global average temp rise of 2-3% this century
• Fast temperature rise means little time for people and nature to react and cope
• These temperature increases are likely to result in an increased frequency and severity of weather events such as heat waves, storms and flooding
• Potential large scale changes in Earth's natural systems

Local Climate Projections

Summer

• Increased heat stress
• Risks to biodiversity
• Heat waves
• Risk to flood security

Summer Rainfall

• Increased drought
• Subsidence
• Decreased crop yields
• Reduced stream flow and water quality

Winter Rainfall

• Increased winter flooding
• Increased subsidence
• Risks to urban drainage
• Severe transport disruption

 Click here to download the Climate Change Effects document [131kb].

Peak Oil

Nottingham City Council was one of the first UK Local Authorities to recognise the challenge of Peak Oil.

Peak Oil is the time when maximum oil production point is reached globally. After this point the production rate will decline. After Peak Oil the production and availability of oil will decline, and oil prices will rise. The UK's oil peak was in 1999.

Oil and oil based products are widespread in modern living. Products such as crop fertilisers, detergents, solvents, adhesives and most plastics would become more expensive as these products would become scarce.

This Council acknowledges the forthcoming impact of Peak Oil. The Council therefore needs to respond, and help our citizens respond to the likelihood of the shrinking oil supply but in a way which will nevertheless maintain the City's prosperity. It acknowledges that actions taken to adapt to and mitigate against climate change also help us adapt issues around Peak Oil.

It will do this by:

• developing an understanding of the impact of Peak Oil on the local economy and the local community
• encouraging a move across the city towards sustainable transport, cycling and walking throughout the city
• pursuing a rigorous energy efficiency and conservation programme through its carbon management plan, the work towards EMAS accreditation and on leading on raising energy awareness across all sectors to reduce dependency on oil based energy in the city

• supporting research and production within the city which helps develop local effective alternative energy supplies and energy saving products in order to encourage a move away from oil based fuels and also in order to create local 'green collar jobs'
• co-ordinating policy and action on reducing our city's carbon dependency and in response to the need to mitigate and adapt to climate change and Peak Oil

In this way Nottingham City Council will not only be helping the city to rise to the challenge of Peak Oil but also encourage the city to grasp the opportunities which Peak Oil offers.