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Climate change ‘hitting home’
ISLINGTON alone emits more tonnes of carbon – linked to devastating climate change – than Swaziland or the Maldives, and more than half the total annual emissions of Iceland, a conference heard on Monday.
The climate change conference at Sadler’s Wells was staged to unveil an ambitious target for cutting carbon emissions in the borough.
The target – the first of its kind set down by any London borough – represents a joint carbon reduction commitment from private, public and voluntary sector organisations, which are joining forces to try to ensure it happens.
Islington emits approximately 1.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.
This is more than some nations, according to Lib Dem council leader Councillor James Kempton.
He said: “Climate change is already having an impact in Islington, for example in increased subsidence of buildings, which largely results from the drying out of the clay underneath.
“This causes significant additional costs to homeowners and organisations which own large numbers of buildings in the borough.”
Future effects will include a continued rise in flash flooding, higher temperatures and the arrival of new diseases.
Islington’s Climate Change Partnership – made up of a range of organisations, from City University to Royal Mail and Starbucks – has been established to help achieve the target reduction.
Cllr Kempton added: “We believe this is a problem we cannot just leave to everyone else to sort out.
“Everybody, every day, can either make climate change worse or they can help to put us back on track.”
The council announced plans for a £3-million Climate Change Fund for capital projects in its recent budget.
The fund will help pay for solar panels, wind turbines, biomass boilers and ground-source heat pumps.
The council plans to install wind turbines on its buildings, including the tennis centre close to Market Road, subject to planning permission.
It is also planned to power the council’s fleet of electric vehicles from a turbine.
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