Climate change – the effects

'Wales' highest mountain may soon have to find a new name' ...

... could be a newspaper headline of the future, since it's predicted that, by 2020, Snowdon may have lost its winter snow cover if the recently recorded decreases in snowfall continue.  Wherever you look in Wales there is evidence of climate change.  While CCW supports all efforts to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions, it must also prepare to handle the effects.

In the UK the average annual temperature rose by 0.5°C during the 20th Century.  In 2002 the UK Climate Impacts Programme showed that by 2080, according to one scenario, the temperature will rise by 2-3.5°C, although some believe this could be as much as 5°C.  This will mean hotter and drier summers and autumns, wetter and milder winters with heavier rainfall.  As a result of these changes the length of the growing season will increase. And the seas will get warmer with levels rising by between 11 to 71cm.

These changes in climate are likely to lead to fundamental changes in our landscape, habitats and wildlife, and also in our tourism and recreation businesses and activities.