The price of oil and the cost of energy production are increasing; this has the potential to have a far greater impact on rural communities. The reliance on private transport and decreasing viability of rural services is already a factor in the increasing isolation of those least able to afford to travel. All communities will have to adapt to these challenges. However, the impact will be far greater on rural communities. In recent years we have had flooding in many rural areas and also experienced the extreme weather of the winter in 2009. This has brought challenges, however rural communities are resourceful and there is a strong tradition of self help. For more information on the issues facing rural communities take a look at the climate change section of the recent Commission for Rural Communities 2010 State of the Countryside Report.
Adaptation
Adapting to climate change means changing the way we do things in all areas of our lives to respond to the changing circumstances. It means not only protecting against negative impacts, but also making us better able to take advantage of any opportunities.
Climate change constitutes one of the greatest social, environmental and economic challenges to society. Issues such as health, housing, transport, waste, food production and equality are completely linked with environmental conditions. We need to understand how our climate might change so that we can prepare. The impacts of climate change, including flooding and drought, will vary from place to place meaning that action at local and regional level is vitally important to help reduce future risk. The What Communities Can Do pages provide practical examples and case studies of work on this subject.
Adapting to climate change; a guide for local councils
Action for Communities in Rural England (ACRE) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) worked collaboratively to produce a new guide for local parish and town councils entitled: Adapting to climate change: A guide for local councils. This guide is designed for parish and town councils and community groups to promote ways in which they can source information, ideas and support on local initiatives which will help them address the likely impacts of climate change. Included in the guide are tips for local councils that can stimulate local thinking on how their own community may be affected. A series of practical solutions are outlined in the form of case studies of community-led projects that have already taken place across England.
When the guide was published Sylvia Brown, Chief Executive of ACRE said, “We would like all local communities and parish and town councils to explore and understand the likely future for their own community and recognise the risks and opportunities that are presented by climate change. We believe that local communities are in a position to make a real difference by responding with initiatives that local people and local groups can implement themselves.
“To achieve this, we encourage communities to develop a Community Led Plan (CLP), help create a vision for their community. CLP’s provide communities with a chance to reflect on and contribute to sustainable living and also, have in place, plans to meet the needs of climate change.”
Mitigation
Mitigation refers to actions that reduce our contribution to the causes of climate change. This means reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), through energy efficiency and using alternative forms of transport and energy.
Activities such as generation of renewable energy from a range of resources including wind, sun (solar), water (tidal, wave and hydro), the earth’s heat (geothermal), and wood, waste, and energy crops (biomass and biofuel) can all contribute to reducing our carbon footprint. There are also other practical steps that individuals and communities can take in this area, for example reducing their energy usage, insulating their homes, making their village hall more energy efficient and working with others in their community to take action. The What Communities Can Do pages provide practical examples and case studies of work on this subject.
