Shropshire will see up to 20 per cent more rainfall in the winter by 2050 and more severe weather because of the impact of climate change, it was claimed today.
The county will also face higher temperatures with an increase of about 4C (39F) by 2080 with the amount of summer rainfall falling by up to 30 per cent by 2050.
The statistics are revealed in a new draft climate change topic paper.
It is being drawn up by Shropshire County Council and district and borough authorities across the county.
The report looks at potential impacts for the county caused by climate change and says because people will still rely on cars as Shropshire is a rural area, developers will need to ensure developments are designed and built in a way that encourages sustainability.
It is one of a number of topic papers being drawn up for the Shropshire Local Development Framework Core Strategy ahead of a unitary authority being created next year.
The core strategy will set the vision for the county over the next 20 years.
The report says the county would face a number of potential impacts that may need to be addressed by the core strategy, including an increased risk of flooding.
It says: “Flooding is likely to be exacerbated by climate change, which has the potential to lead to increased extreme weather events in addition to wetter winters, which may increase the incidence of fluvial flooding.
“This is likely to affect residential properties already at high risk of flooding and new locations previously considered safe from flooding. This may also have negative effects on business and tourism in the county.”
Other key issues and impacts include the potential for building and infrastructure damage, a need for biodiversity, water quality and supply and agriculture.
Andy Mortimer, planning policy team leader at the county council, said the topic papers were all about developing thinking for policies in the core strategy for the unitary authority.
“It’s all about balancing the need for the car in rural areas and access to facilities and services against adapting to reducing carbon footprints and CO2 emissions.”
By John Kirk
21 Comments
Considering the accuracy ad succes of forecasting 3 days in advance - I won’t hold my breath.
4C = 39F - really?
Speculative nonsense, designed to provide ‘evidence’ for further ‘eco-taxes’ no doubt.
If we all stopped using our cars today, switched off all our electrical appliances, and recycled all of our rubbish - it wouldn’t make a bit of difference to whatever is going to happen to the weather over the next 50 years.
look out for a white christmas on 30.02.50
also look out for camels on the cheshire plain er desert, and will otely road still be coned off on winter saturday afternoons!!
come back michael fish all is forgiven
great as if this place isnt wet enough already! that will ruin tourism and some farmers may go bust. I bet Severn trent will be laughing all the way to the bank though as they charge us for sewerage disposal of rain water passing through our drains.
Peter are you out of your tiny mind?? We all know CO2 levels effect global temperature and global temperature effects wind, rain, tides, humidity, all sorts of things. This is proven from the evidence of the ice cores and the sediment records and no one of any intelligence or independant thought really disputes this
Who made the claim above and are SCC really using public money to draw up a “climate change topic paper”?
Just use the money for flood defences instead of commissioning someone to write a report based on guess work to tell SCC to invest (now less money) in flood defences.
so by 2050 we’ll have 20% more rainfall at ten o’clock 2200 will it all be gone?
if we struggle to get the 5 day forecast right what hope do we have with a 50 year one
Dave,
A few facts for you - domestic waste accounts for only 15% of the UK’s waste - we recycle only a small proportion of that 15% - so it’s not that big a deal.
The production of carbon by the UK is miniscule compared with the US, India, China etc., yet we are taxed to an extent that is now damaging our economy, in the naive hope that we will lead these other nations by the example of the self-sacrifice of our economy - meanwhile they’re laughing at us.
The fact remains, we could shut down the UK tomorrow and it wouldn’t make a jot of difference to global temperatures.
Incidentally, you’ll be aware that the earth’s magnetic field reverses from time to time. The Earth’s magnetic field is weakening noticeably - it’s not about to reverse, but it is weakening at an accelerating rate - mightn’t that have an effect on the climate?
I’ve heard environmentalist hysterics on the TV and radio in the past year claim that a)by the time our children grow up some popular holiday destinations ‘will have disappeared’, and that an extra runway at Heathrow would cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Both wild, utterly, unsupported exaggerations - I’m afraid when we’re bombarded with such propaganda that it becomes necessary to treat a great number of these scare stories with a pinch of salt.
i think the comments are wide of the mark, all this predictions are not guess work they are evidenced based research by leading climatologists, its pretty much accepted that in a warmer atmosphere, the Bowen Ratio changes meaning the atmosphere can take up and hold more moisture, combined with higher rates of evaporation then more H20 will flux from the land to the air, so we will see a wetter atmosphere overall and thus more rain, its common sense as well as science fact. Personally Im glad some parts of government are doing some future proofing and planning long term to look out for me in my old age and my childrens children who will grow up in a warmer planet with more extreme weather due to our lust for cheap energy
More evidence that it’s essential to stop using supermarket carrier bags.
H St. J - i agree we should not waste oil making plastic bags but its not the biggest issue in the world really, but a small step in the right direction. If wastes contribution to climate change is of concern to you, focus more on the biodegradable stuff like food, garden waste, wood, paper etc as this is the stuff that rots in landfill which leads to methan gas creation which causes global warming. plastic in contrast in stable in landfill so less of a priority but yes we should all stop using carrier bags as a little starter
the climate is ALWAYS changing - that is what it does and will always do
more money wasted from green grants, giving credence to scientists who of course will come up with the results that people want them to bypassing minute details to ensure more propaganda is fed out to the uneducated or uninterested
our climate is affected by solar flares, not mr griffin of ludlow driving his 4×4 motor to telford on a sunday afternoon
“County to see more rain by 2050″
I don’t think my runner beans can wait that long!!
big deal out of nothing.
we just need a few more taxes and a committee or two and everything will be fine.
i will make sure i get me boat out tonight if i only have 42 years to wait!
I’m pretty sure the Council and Government have this all in hand.
How better to save the planet than by taxing us a lot more over the next 10 years and they can now claim that they are taxing us more money to save the planet.
lets be honest who would begrudge the poorly paid ministers raising some more money to pay for shopping bills, new kitchens etc and if it comes from green taxes so much the better.
so disapointed by the intellect of shropshires climate change sceptics who feel the need to deny science and trivialise this massive issue, go read a book or two you mindless country bumpkins, stop denying the reality of things, you are like the creationists in the USA, backward people
Actually jonny 5 if you want to go down the scientific route - then there is no scientific proof that climate change is happening what so ever.
A number of enviromental groups have commissioned reports into climate change which indicate it may possibly happen. These reports have been jumped on by world Governments as a way to tax people on environmental issues and to raise money.
Many of the TOP scientists involved in climate change all agree that climate change is NOT happening and that in the UK we are in fact in the grips of a small ice age not the climate becoming warmer as many people who jump on this bandwagon think
phil - you are entirely wrong and wide of the mark there is a scientific consensus that the climate is changing, there are only a tiny minority who deny this and you denying it does not change what has been measured in terms of global temperature change already.
John Danish - The climate may be changing slightly at the moment but the climate of earth is always in constant change.
Its nothing new. In the middle ages it was VERY warm in the UK (as far as I can in medieval times the people in the UK did have access to the motor car etc) - During the Victorian period - The Thames regularly froze and people were able to skate on it.
The climate will always change - taxing people through green taxes will not stop climate change.
its a very good SCAM?? to have the whole U.N. convinced hey?? You are like the cigarette companies in the 50’s denying cancer