date: Wed, 6 Mar 2002 14:58:12 -0000 from: "Simon Torok" subject: What message would you give to a local Council? to: "mike" , , , , , , , , , , Dear all, Thank you very much for your thoughtful contributions despite a tight deadline (and for many of you, despite the request arriving as you were rushing out the door). I thought you would be interested in the following off-the-cuff discussion points, in case you actually do run into your Councillor at the pub. Regards, Simon. · Climate change is happening, will continue and has negative and positive impacts. Scientists predict a range of likely climates to help plan and reduce risks. So . . . · Conduct a climate change audit for any decisions sensitive to weather and climate that has a life-span of more than 10 years: will climate change undermine the investment, does infrastructure allow for climate change? · Consider energy conservation and incentives: is energy efficiency encouraged in future buildings through assessment of planning applications? · Track developments in energy policy: e.g. CHP is not commercially attractive currently due to policy (technology is promising) but conflicting short-term economic and long-term environmental policies may soon converge to encourage renewables. · Articulate a renewables opinion: local impact versus national targets. · Identify projects that combine carbon reduction with climate change adaptation: e.g plant trees or energy crops on flood plains. · Plan for opportunities through a cost-benefit analysis of options: e.g. protecting against sea level rise using managed realignment could enhance the coastline’s value through tourism. · Introduce an annual carbon audit for Council offices to see how much your activities contribute, and from where. · Raise awareness of current and future flooding in community and business (insurers, builders etc) and connect with discussion on reducing emissions. Appoint a climate change education officer for internal and external awareness, e.g. display board of carbon dioxide emissions saved by Council and residents as a result of actions, local information on Web site. __________________________________ Dear Mike, Nick, Koen, Frans, Simon, Jim, Nigel and Andrew, I have been asked to discuss climate change at a Kings Lynn/West Norfolk Council Climate Change Task Group meeting. The Council are particularly interested in the impact of climate change on East Anglia's energy demand, building design, biodiversity, flood risk and water supply -- and what they can do to reduce emissions. It would be very useful to know what 3 (or more) key messages you would deliver to the Council, considering your expertise in one or more of the above areas. While specific action plans are more the remit of organisations such as EA, I think at this stage of the Tyndall Centre's life it would be good to be able to offer some initial findings and current thinking about climate change responses from around the Tyndall consortium. So that I can incorporate your thoughts into a presentation, could you please reply to this email by 2pm tomorrow (5 March). Thank you for your help, Simon. =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-Dr Simon Torok-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- External Communication Manager Phone: (01603) 593 906 Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Mobile: (07880) 547 843 School of Environmental Sciences Fax: (01603) 593 901 University of East Anglia Email: s.torok@uea.ac.uk Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK Web: www.tyndall.ac.uk =-=-=-=-=-=-=-24 hour UEA media number: (01603) 592 203-=-=-=-=-=--=-=-=-