5-Jun-2006
- Tomorrow (Friday 26 May 2006) at 09.30am, Daniel
Kawczynski, MP for Shrewsbury and Atcham, will
‘Promise the Earth’ for World Environment Day
when he visits the Environment Agency’s Shrewsbury
office.
During his visit, Mr Kawczynski
will hear about what we are doing to make Shrewsbury
a better place. This will include special presentations
on our work, including drought and World Environment
Day itself.
In 2006 we are asking everyone
to Promise the Earth for World Environment Day
(5 June) by visiting our website http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wed/.
We must change our behaviour
to protect our environment for future generations.
Making little lifestyle changes can have a big
effect if everyone does it, whether you take a
shower instead of a bath, reuse carrier bags or
walk instead of using the car.
Climate change is now one of
the biggest challenges we face. With scientists
predicting more winter flooding and summer drought,
water shortages and hosepipe bans, such as those
now being faced in the South of England, will
become ever more likely in the Midlands too.
Wise use of water is essential
if we are to have enough to cater for our needs
in coming years.
Daniel Kawczynski, MP, said;
"I am very conscious of the hard work the
Environment Agency does for Shrewsbury. I wish
to support their efforts."
Upper Severn Area Manager, John Adams, added:
"I am looking forward to showing Mr Kawczynski
what we are achieving for the environment in Shrewsbury.
His support is very important to the success of
our work. I am particularly delighted that he
has agreed to make these special promises for
World Environment Day.
"We are asking everyone
in Shrewsbury to follow his excellent example
and think about the wider aspects of climate change,
specifically how they personally can make small
changes to their lifestyles. Each promise kept,
however small, will help to make our world a better
place. Together, we can make a huge difference
to the world our children will inherit."
More Information:
World Environment Day
We are planning to build on
the success of World Environment Day ’05 to make
this year’s campaign even bigger; with a higher
profile and an even greater environmental impact.
For 2006 the campaign will again
focus on people making a commitment to change
their behaviour. This year we will be asking people
to make promises. We will again be supporting
the Action Earth campaign as part of World Environment
Day and will encourage people to take part in
volunteer projects as one of their promises.
In 2006 we hope to get:
More people to make promises
Increased number of organisations
taking part
Increase in awareness of World
Environment Day
Increased awareness of the need
for, and ways people can, change their behaviour
to make an environmental difference
More information can be found
on http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/wed/
Promises we are asking people
to make for 2006:
I promise I will air my washing
in public - not in the tumble dryer.
I will boil only the water I
need, rather than filling the kettle every time
I promise to use rechargeable
batteries instead of disposable ones.
I promise I will use a ‘bag
for life’ & not plastic carriers.
I will share my car journeys
to work with a colleague, cycle or replace those
car journeys with public transport at least once
a week.
I promise to have a shower rather
than a bath for World Environment Day
I promise to put a water saving
device in my toilet cistern
I promise I will turn the tap
off when I brush my teeth/use a cup of water
I promise I will organise or
volunteer for an environmental project in my local
community
I promise that I will payback
the environmental impact of any air travel I take
by logging on to Climate Care.org/co2.payback
Climate change in the Midlands
The UK climate has varied greatly
over time due to natural causes, but human activities
are now believed to be causing major changes to
the climate by raising the levels of certain gases
in the atmosphere. These gases are called greenhouse
gases as they increase the amount of energy trapped
in the atmosphere so raise the temperature of
the Earth. How much our climate changes in the
future depends on how much greenhouse gas we release.
There is evidence that the climate
in the Midlands is already changing:
Five of the ten warmest years
of the 20th century occurred in the 11000s, these
were 11000, 1995, 1997, 1998 and 1999
Annual mean temperatures over
Central England increased by 0.6ºC between
1901 and 1998
Annual rainfall totals have
increased by 3% since the 1930s, but seasonal
changes have been much more dramatic. December
rainfall has increased by 38% and July rainfall
decreased by 31%
Sea levels have risen by up
to 2mm per year on the East Coast
The UK Climate Impacts Change
Programme (UKCIP) has predicted that the Midlands’
climate will continue to get warmer and wetter,
with more storms and flooding in the winter and
more droughts in the summer.
It is likely that this will
lead to changes in the way we live and work and
to the bio-diversity of the region. The Agency
is advising regional bodies on the likely impact
of climate change, and on strategies to mitigate
the effects and to adapt to the changes.
