Global Warming On The Brink Act Now to Save the Nation Before It’s Too Late!

Although British weather has been unpredictable since its inception, global warming is making it more frequent and more severe.

In the last 12 months, the UK has been subject to severe flooding, extreme temperatures, and increased coastal erosion. There have also been wildfires on the moors.

Northern Ireland has just had its third-warmest summer and also its hottest temperature – 31.3C on July 21 in Castlederg, Co Tyrone.

Some areas of Scotland, such as Glasgow, where COP26 will take place in November, experienced their hottest summer since 1884.

The UK is already getting extreme weather, with 2020 the third warmest, fifth wettest, and eighth sunniest year on record.

It’s the first year to fall into the top 10 for all three variables.

The State Of The UK Climate 2020 report revealed the average winter temperature for last year was 5.3C – which is 1.6C higher than the 1981 to 2010 average.

In early August 2020, there were highs of 34C on six consecutive days with five “tropical nights” of at least 20C, making it one of the most significant heatwaves to hit southern England in 60 years.

Together, these changes are affecting our seasons, wildlife, coastlines, countryside, and also some of the most treasured and special places around the UK.

Friends of the Earth has teamed up with The Mirror to compile a list of 21 beloved spots that are in danger of being drastically altered by climate change.

These include major tourist attractions the Giant’s Causeway and the White Cliffs of Dover.

Important wildlife sites, such as the Sumburgh Head puffin colony on mainland Shetland, and Blakeney Point seals in Norfolk are also in danger.

The devastating impact of coastal erosion, rising sea levels, and warming temperatures also poses a huge threat to everyday places such as pubs, churches, sports grounds, and beaches.

Mike Childs, head of science at Friends of the Earth, said: “Melting ice caps and soaring temperatures are often what we think of when talking about climate breakdown.

“But not enough thought is given to how it will change the places we live and visit. It’s not just these much-loved landmarks alone that are threatened by climate chaos.

“We also risk losing the rich cultural heritage and social good they bring too.

“We can’t stop climate change but we can limit how badly it harms the planet.

“If protecting the places we love really is a top priority, then the Government must do everything it can to drive down climate-wrecking emissions at speed.”

The castle of St Michael’s Mount off the coast of Cornwall, the white cliffs of Birling Gap in East Sussex, and the dunes of Formby, near Liverpool, are also among the places at risk.

The Giant’s Causeway, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland, is threatened by rising seas and erosion.

A report by Queen’s University and Ulster University warned part of the Middle and Little Causeway could be underwater for much of the winter by the end of the century.

Visitors will need to find new routes and avoid erosion of the Grand Causeway by 2080.

Another risk area identified is the Lake District National Park.

Due to the heavy winter rainfall and increased visitors, it already has significant footpath erosion.

Research has shown that rising temperatures will result in species loss and falling lake levels during summer. It will also dry up the peat and release carbon into our atmosphere.

The effects of storms on woodlands and drought could be more severe for trees.

Changing how we talk about the weather

From today, the Mirror is changing the name of the weather section to “Weather & Climate”.

This new title is a reflection of the climate crisis’s impact.

Global warming does not just mean higher temperatures, but also more severe meteorological events.

We will track the effects of climate change each day by comparing temperatures today to previous decades. Regular fact boxes will be available to provide information on extreme weather, new records, and other trends.

Mirror editor Alison Phillips said: “Every year we take the chance to focus our energy on a big climate change special edition, which often looks to the future.

“But the climate crisis is here now, in big and small ways, and it’s our job to tell that story every
single day.

“Over the pandemic, the media has helped to give the world a crash course in virology. Protecting ourselves from the climate crisis will call for one in climate science.

“We all know how Brits love to talk about the weather. Now, unfortunately, climate change is a part of that conversation.”

‘Campaign is vital to preserving our landscapes’

– Comment, by Harry Bowell, National Trust Director of Land and Nature

World leaders will soon meet in Glasgow at COP26 to draw up a plan on what we can do to help in the fight.

This crisis does not affect only the outdoor spaces we care for. It’s easy to focus on coastal erosion, flooding, or drought.

This is why campaigns like the Daily Mirror’s Vanishing UK are so important – both to highlight the threat climate change poses, and to show what we as organizations, individuals, and society as a whole can do to play our part.

We will do everything we can to preserve and protect these historic landscapes.

But in years to come, the charity faces some very difficult decisions around how we manage them, especially some of the coastal locations in our care.

The relationship we need to protect our natural environment has been brought into sharp focus over the past twelve months.

The next few months will go a long way in defining what this looks like –and how far we are willing to invest to protect against the future climate change threat.