On the 19th of July, the UK saw temperatures of above 40℃ for the first time on record. The London Fire Brigade witnessed their busiest day since WWII, runways at airports melted and Network Rail implemented speed limits due to the potential for rails to warp in the intense heat.[i] Whilst, by virtue of the innate rigour within the scientific method, we will have to wait for absolute conformation of the link between this heat wave and the climate crisis, co-lead of the World Weather Attribution consortium believes there is little doubt.[ii]
“I think we can very confidently now say that every heatwave that is occurring today has been made more intense and more likely because of climate change…There is no doubt that climate change is really an absolute game-changer when it comes to heatwaves.”
Source: Network Rail
Warwickshire county council reacted to the onset of the heatwave by reiterating their commitment to UK100.[iii] UK100 is a coalition of 100 councils across the UK that have pledged to pursue the most ambitious level of climate action possible.[iv] On day one of the first ever “Red Extreme heat national severe weather warning”, issued by the met office, Warwickshire county council released an article commenting on the expectation of worsening weather events as the world warms, and how it relates to their commitment to ambitious net zero targets.[v] Warwickshire County Council Portfolio Holder for Environment, Climate and Culture Cllr Heather Timms said:
“Climate change means that we can expect more of the extreme weather we are seeing this week. This is happening when temperatures are just over 1-degree centigrade above pre-industrial levels. Even if the commitments from the COP26 conference last year are met, we will be up to 2.4 degrees higher.” “We have been very clear about our ambition to meet our Net Zero targets in Warwickshire and our continued commitment to work collaboratively with our public sector colleagues who share our ambition and commitment across the county and region. Work is underway, but it remains a significant challenge for us all.
Renewed enthusiasm for ambitious approaches to net zero as a result of experiencing climate extremes is a young field of research. An analysis of the effect of drought events on the adaptive practices of water managers in Colorado found that whilst extreme events “do not consistently drive adaptive change… they can”.[vi] Thus remains the possibility that, however uncomfortable and anxiety-inducing it may have been, the recent heatwave could also inspire a whole new wave of climate positive action. But inspiration is one thing and knowing how is another.
Our executive chair here at ZCA summed up our mission and vision saying “I know that many people are looking to do the right thing for the climate in their organisation. The Zero Carbon Academy will give them the tools and learning they need, in a way which is rooted in real business experience.”. This purpose leads our work and puts us in a fantastic position to support you, the reader. If, you are indeed led to us by an event-induced motivation to engage in net zero activities then allow us to offer some good places to start.
In June we reported that ‘Big Six’ Fast Food Giants Commit to Science-based Climate Targets Following Investor Pressure. The Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTI) is an excellent opportunity to begin your net zero journey if you feel as though you are just starting to try to understand the process. SBTI provide ‘comprehensive guidance’ on how to develop a plan that is backed by the most up to date science.[vii]
In May we reported that Consultation Opens for UK Government’s “Gold Standard” Net Zero Transition Plans. The opportunity here was for businesses and individuals to engage themselves in the consultation process. With our ears to the ground, here at ZCA we will continue to champion opportunities for engagement with where policy is going and how you can have your voice heard.
So much of the transition to a more sustainable future will require a big change, this change can be less uncomfortable when you take time to engage with attitudes to said change. At the end of June we reported on world refill day. We commented on the 93% of UK consumers that would like to have the opportunity to reuse and refill and will continue to bring you insights that will support your decision making on how change will be received by the general public.
We all know that we don’t operate in a vacuum, change on a global scale will affect how we can all go about treading the path to net zero. Of particular impact is the recent invasion of Ukraine, we discussed its effect on EU energy independence and how it has changed the course of UK rewilding policy. Of particular relevance in the context of heat waves, is the latter and how it relates to rewilding- Rewilding Britain have discussed how this process can be an important defence against wildfires.[viii]
Surveys from YouGov conducted following the heatwaves have found that 72% of the British public believe that the recent European heatwaves are a result of climate change, that’s 72% of people that may now be beginning to wonder what they can do to start to address it.[ix] But if you feel motivated by the unfolding scenes of wildfires and melting runways then you should remember that you don’t have to do it alone. At ZCA we are also ready to provide bespoke advice in the form of whitepapers and toolkits. Recently, our chief information officer Simon Graham delivered a net zero toolkit to the Independent Publishers Guild (IPG), Simon reflected on the experience of delivering the toolkit
[i] BBC- London Fire Brigade had busiest day since World War Two, says London mayor
[ii] New Scientist- Every heatwave occurring today is more intense due to climate change
[iii] Warwickshire County Council- Warwickshire County Council joins UK100 to call for action on climate change as heatwave hits the county
[v] Ibid
[vi] Climactic Change- How experiences of climate extremes motivate adaptation among water managers
[viii] Rewilding Britain- Rewilding and the climate
[ix] YouGov- Do you think heatwaves being experienced across Europe are or are not due to climate change?
Oscar is a recent graduate with a background in earth science. He is currently studying an MSc focussing on disaster responses, emergency planning and community resilience. His postgraduate research project will assess the link between climate crisis risk perception and attitudes to green energy projects. “Adapting to the climate crisis through the pursuit of net zero requires community engagement and understanding. Zero Carbon Academy’s goals closely align with this approach and I’m excited to have the opportunity to research and communicate a variety of topics relating to our environment and sustainability”.
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