Image: Mike Newman Photographer
This Autumn has already seen a parade of storms sweeping through the UK, bringing with them the iconic waves we often see pummelling Penzance Promenade.
And it’s not something that’s going to slow down.
In fact, it’s predicted climate change will inevitably make the UK’s most extreme storms more intense over time, with stronger winds and heavier rainfall.
That’s because as the climate warms, strong storm events are likely to become more severe – and it’s something we’re already seeing happening around the world.
For example, in recent weeks, Hurricane Melissa blasted through Jamaica, casting devastation and claiming the lives of 45 (and possibly more) people.
It was a Category 5 – the strongest hurricane to ever hit the island.
This isn’t a coincidence. It’s overwhelmingly accepted that it’s the result of a warming planet, where hurricanes like this can build up more energy over warmer seas, made hotter by dangerously high levels of climate-warming gases in our atmosphere.
And the reason the gases are at such levels? Well, decades’ worth of burning of fossil fuels (essentially, oil, gas and coal) have been the primary driver, accounting for around 68% of global greenhouse gas emissions and nearly 90% of all carbon dioxide emissions.
It’s not just the stronger winds and rains to worry about; as the planet gets warmer and sea levels rise (a result of the ice caps melting), the detrimental impact of storms on low-lying or coastal areas could be made even worse.
More worryingly, the UN has now warned that new climate pledges do little to correct global warming predictions, with the new Emissions Gap Report indicating that the world is likely to exceed the 1.5°C target… beyond which it will be hard to turn back.
So, yes, we should be minimising our fossil fuel consumption and pushing for change at national and international levels. We need to band together, to fight against approvals for projects like the UK’s Rosebank Oil Field, and call for global players, like Shell and Exxon, to start taking responsibility and make the changes our world so desperately needs.
But there’s another story here, too – and that’s one of resilience.
Here in Penzance, it’s important to start thinking about the future of our town and coastline, the people who are likely to be most impacted by climate change, and what resilience really looks like. How do we make sure that hundreds of homes and businesses along the seafront are protected from the increasing impact of storms?
At Sustainable PZ, we’ve been using vision workshops to work with our local community to understand the future we want, and how activities and decisions being made are impacting that possibility.
The good news is that there has already been some planning. Shoreline Management Plans (SMPS) are in place. They look at the best way to manage risks from flooding and erosion over the short, medium and long term. You can find the plan for Penzance here.
Last year, a scoping report for Mount’s Bay’s Management Framework looked at key areas that needed work and protection around the bay, with the likes of Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Cornwall Council and the Environment Agency feeding in.
The new Penzance Neighbourhood Plan also takes into account how future development could impact our green and wild spaces, accounting for the important role they play in both our wellbeing and their environmental importance to our local area.
If you’re wondering what the current predicted impacts will actually look like for Penzance, you can use a tool by Climate Central that highlights the impact of climate crisis on the coastline here in Penzance, based on the current trajectory for 2050.
While this could all change with rapid action, it’s a good indication of how those recent record-breaking rising temperatures in the Arctic and Antarctic are affecting our future.
The state of our climate is a disheartening one, where action is needed by big players to make a big difference. But we CAN make change at a local level, too. Here, you can find everything you need to know about how to get involved with projects like Sustainable PZ, where we’re working to build a thriving and resilient future for the Penzance community.
If you’d like to get involved, or simply want to find out more, get in touch at info@sustainablepz.co.uk.
