Forest Heath District Council offers advice and information about
steps individuals and communities can take to reduce their carbon
emissions. We are part of the CRed Suffolk Climate Change
Partnership which comprises of all the local authorities in
Suffolk and key partner organisations, and promotes low carbon
initiatives and adaptation to a changing climate.
We will be looking at the impact it will have on our services,
and making plans to adapt to these changes or mitigate against
them.
Contact Us
If you require any further information please contact the
Sustainable Development Officer
Tel No: 01638 719232
Email: enviroprotection@forest-heath.gov.uk
Post: Environmental Services, District Offices, College Heath Road,
Mildenhall, Suffolk, IP28 7EY
Information About Climate
Change
Scientific evidence of
climate change is now overwhelming, and human activity is very
likely to be the primary cause. As part of the eastern region, the
District is likely to experience wetter and warmer winters, drier
summers, summer water shortages, more extreme weather events, and
sea level rise leading to coastal and inland flooding.
We acknowledge that climate change is happening and have signed the
Nottingham Declaration to demonstrate our commitment. A copy of the
Declaration can be found in the "Downloads" section below.
CO2 and other greenhouse gases are produced by a range
of human activities we take for granted. We all use energy directly
to heat our homes, cook food, fuel vehicles, and power electrical
products. We also consume energy indirectly through the embedded
energy in the production processes of materials we buy or use. Most
of this energy comes from burning fossil fuels that are
non-renewable and finite, and produce CO2 and other
greenhouse gases.
Energy use in UK has been rising over the last 30 years, mainly
because changes in lifestyle mean that the household and transport
sectors are using more energy. Though the demand for energy has
increased the amount of fuel available has not changed. The UK is
now a net importer of energy and it is estimated that by 2010
the UK will be 50% dependant on imported gas, rising to 80% by
2020. This leaves the UK increasingly exposed to global price
increases.
Carbon footprinting is a method of representing the impact that
humans have on their environment. The CRed Suffolk Partnership
has reviewed several published methodologies for calculating the
carbon and ecological footprints, and decided that the South East
Climate Change Partnership (SECCP) model was preferred. This was
due to ease of data availability, data was produced and recorded on
a regular basis, the transparency of the method, and preferred
model of the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change.
The SECCP model shows that the District has a carbon footprint of
7.73 tonnes of CO2 per head of population. It should be
noted that this model does not include rail and air travel, and
waste figures do not include methane which is 24 times more the
global warming potential of CO2. The following data
should therefore be considered a conservative estimate of the
actual footprint of the District.
A community carbon footprinting toolkit has been produced to guide
communities through a carbon footprint process. Forest Heath
District Council will support communities who which to
participate.
Useful Links
CRed Suffolk
Suffolk Greenest County
Climate change myths
UK Climate Intergovernmental Panel
- predictions for how Climate Change will affect the
UK
Downloads
50 Climate Change Actions leaflet
Nottingham Declaration
Sustainable Development
Strategy