Across the world people are looking for new ways to tackle rising earth temperatures.
In 2019 the UK Government made a commitment to achieve ‘Net Zero’ for greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Net Zero means balancing the amount of greenhouse gas produced and the amount removed from the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere from heating our homes, fuelling our vehicles and running businesses and public services.
What produces greenhouse gas emissions?
Everyday activities like heating your home, driving your car or even the processes that went into producing the food you eat, release greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
What is the impact?
The release of these gases – or emissions – are helping to heat the planet to an increasingly dangerous level. Wildlife faces extinction, our weather and our seasons may be increasingly disrupted and sea levels will rise. The impact of an increase in global temperature of 2.0°C versus an increase of 1.5°C include increased sea level rise (10cm) and the increased probability of extreme weathers, including droughts and heavy rainfall, a reduction in sea oxygen levels, an increase in sea acidity and increased species and habitat losses.
How fast do we need to act?
Global warming is a particular concern for a parish like ours on the coast. The current carbon emissions in the Leiston boundary are 15,700 tonnes of CO2 per year. The existing land and green spaces remove 3,700 tonnes of CO2 per year. This provides a net annual CO2 consumption of 12,000 tonnes. At this annual rate the apportioned carbon budget for Leiston would be exhausted in less than eight years. The challenge for Leiston and towns like it across the UK is therefore serious and urgent.
