News Brief

Campaigners say that a report published today on the impact of climate change over the next 100 years, is a ‘wake up call’.

The UK Climate Projections 2009, based on Met Office science, illustrate the extent of the changes the UK may face in the absence of global action to cut emissions - warmer and wetter winters, hotter and drier summers, increased risk of coastal erosion and more severe weather.

The Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn told the House of Commons that new projections could see a rise in sea level in London of 36cm and an average summer temperature increase of two to six degrees celsius.

Benn explained that the projections are not a long range "weather forecast" but set out the "probabilities for potential changes for the UK".

Covering over 4,000 maps and spanning a 100-year period, the projections represent the "best science" on how the climate is likely to change.

Churches, Christian aid agencies and pressure groups have been campaigning alongside others for cuts in the UK's carbon emissions.

Following the close of the latest UN negotiations in Bonn, Christian Aid has warned that rich countries risk wrecking vitally important international talks on a climate agreement.

The aid agency said they had failed to commit to dramatic curbs in their greenhouse emissions or to recognise the scale of funding poor countries urgently need to cope with the impacts of global warming.

Reacting to today's UK Climate Projections 2009, Friends of the Earth's Executive Director, Andy Atkins said: "This extremely valuable report is an important wake-up call on the need for urgent action to slash emissions.

"Climate change will have a major impact on the UK - and this will be devastating if the world fails to move rapidly towards a low-carbon future.

"The UK Government must show real global leadership ahead of December's crucial UN climate summit by agreeing to cut our emissions by at least 42 per cent by 2020 - without any offsetting - and ensuring that tackling global warming is at the heart of every policy.

"Local councils have a key role to play too - this means rapidly cutting their emissions, as well as action to adapt to the impacts that are warned of in this stark report.

"Investing in solutions such as cutting energy waste and developing renewable power will also create tens of thousands of new green jobs, end fuel poverty and help create a cleaner, safer future for us all."