Lake District National Park

Learning

Storm brewing over Skiddaw

Climate change is nothing new in geological timescales. But in human timescales we have had a long period with a very stable climate. The planet is now warming and there are now few scientists who doubt that these changes are the result of human activity. Scientists are predicting a continued rise in global temperatures leading to:

hotter, drier summers
warmer, wetter winters
more extreme weather events

Impacts of climate change on the Lake District

The Lake District is already experiencing warmer wetter winters and hotter drier summers. The wet summers of 2007 and 2008 illustrate that the weather we experience does not always match the long term climate trends. Over the years ahead we expect more significant changes. A study by Natural England identifies a range of impacts including:

Species loss: plants and animals which are at the edge of their range could become locally extinct. Examples include the mountain ringlet butterfly and the Arctic charr a cold water loving fish which has lived in Windermere since the ice age.
Migration upwards: Migrations of habitats upwards, squeezing upland landscapes into smaller areas making them more vulnerable.
Increase in non-native species: Examples include pygmy weed in wetland habitats, Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed. All are invasive plants which spread rapidly pushing out native plants and the wildlife which depend on them. Another unwelcome arrival could be Bluetongue disease in cattle which is spread by a species of midge seen for the first time in Britain in 2007. This disease would have a serious effect on farmers.
Changes to lakes: Falling lake levels in summer and poorer water quality as pollutants become more concentrated. Erosion caused by heavy rain will increase siltation. Toxic blue-green algae may become more common in lakes affecting recreational use. Midges may be more of a problem near lakes.
Changes to woodlands: Woodlands will suffer more storm damage and trees could suffer from summer drought. Woodlands will change as some species adapt better than others.
Drying out of peat: Peat locks carbon into the soil. It is estimated the peat in the UK stores around 3 billion tonnes of carbon – the equivalent of 20 years of UK carbon emissions. Figures from Moors for the Future project (opens in new window) Hot dry summers could lead to peat drying out releasing carbon into the atmosphere. Footpath erosion caused by high numbers of visitors contributes to this problem - read more on Fix the Fells (opens in new window).
Greater risk of extreme weather events: Storms, high winds, flooding, drought and forest fires could all increase. The storms of January 2005 caused the loss of many trees in the Lake District and Windermere reached its highest level for many years in July 2007.
Footpath erosion Heavy winter rainfall can have a devastating affect on footpaths - the extreme rainfall in November 2009 washed away many footpaths and footbridges.

How we are managing climate change

The Lake District National Park Authority is aiming to become a leader in managing climate change. We are working to reduce our own impact on the climate by cutting our carbon emissions. We will be working with others through action and education in partnership with other organisations - you can read more on our Climate change page.

Low Carbon Lake District

In 2008 The Lake District National Park hosted the Low Carbon Lake District Conference. We launched a report assessing the impact of climate change on the Lake District. The report details the physical effects and the impacts on society and the economy - you can read the report from a link on the Climate change page.

Carbon and Land management

We are working with landowners to encourage best practice in carbon management - find our more in Carbon and Land Management.

Our Actions in 2008-09

Joined the Carbon Trust’s Local Authorities Carbon Management Programme.
Appointed a Carbon Reduction Adviser.
Used technology to reduce the number of computer servers needed, reducing power consumption.
Signed up to the Cumbria Climate Change Commitment, working to reduce CO2 emissions across the county.
Contributed to Natural England’s Work on their Character Area Climate Change Project for the Cumbria High Fells.
Committed to reducing our carbon emissions by 25 per cent by 2012.
Reduced our carbon emissions from business travel by replacing our existing fleet with lower emission vehicles, and encouraging 69 staff to attended “smart” driving courses resulting in a 16 per cent increase in miles per gallon fuel consumption.
Signed up to the 10:10 Campaign (opens in new window) committing us to reducing carbon emissions by 10 per cent in 2010.

Changes to the UK climate

In June 2009 the UK government published United Kingdom Climate Projections – the most comprehensive report of its kind ever produced. It shows that the UK faces warmer wetter winters and hotter drier summers with more drought, more intense heat waves, flooding and sea level rise.

The report is freely available and provides information about the likely impacts of climate change across the UK. It will help businesses and public bodies to plan investment and services based on the best information available. Find out more at UK Climate Impacts Programme (opens in new window).

Changes to the global climate

In February 2007 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change (IPCC) issued its starkest warning yet. It concluded that average temperatures across the globe are likely to rise by four degrees centigrade before the end of the century. The latest scientific evidence indicates climate change will be more severe than previously thought and its affects will be felt across the globe. The report drew on expertise from 600 authors, 620 expert reviewers and representatives from 113 countries. There is a high degree of confidence that climate change is a direct result of human action through emission of greenhouse gases.

As the earth warms the water cycle intensifies increasing the risk of both drought and floods. Worldwide the area of land in extreme drought is predicted to rise from 1 per cent to 30 per cent by the end of the century. Rising temperatures increase the likelihood of dramatic changes in the climate system. For example the Gulf Stream and North Atlantic drift which have a significant warming effect on Europe’s climate may be weakened. Sea levels which are already rising could be increased considerably if the West Antarctic ice sheet collapses.

Some changes will amplify climate change. For example thawing of permafrost and drying out of wetlands releases methane and carbon dioxide which are powerful greenhouse gases.

The Stern report on the economics of climate change (2007) predicts that the poorest people in developing nations will be hit first and hardest but all areas of the world will suffer. The Lake District is already feeling the effects but the LDNP believes we can play a part in reducing the effects. Read more in Stern Review (opens in new window)

How would you reduce carbon?

Play the My 2050 world interactive game (opens in new window, needs Flash 9) to show the world how to do it!