Climate change describes alterations in long-term weather patterns. Whilst the climate changes naturally over time and there have always been extremes of weather, climate change is most often used to describe modern changes in climate caused by the release of greenhouse gases.
Greenhouse gas is the name given to gases which trap heat within the atmosphere. These gases often occur naturally, and without them earth would be much colder. However, human activity has resulted in more of these gases being produced and they have built-up in the earth's atmosphere. This results in more heat being trapped and the temperature of the earth to increase, causing climate change. Greenhouse gases include; methane, water vapour, ozone, nitrous oxides and, perhaps the most well-known, carbon dioxide.
Tackling climate change is now widely accepted as one of the most serious issues facing the world. Continued changes to the earth's climate are expected to include sea level rise and more extreme weather events resulting in altered or difficult growing seasons, areas become uninhabitable and damage to buildings and infrastructure. The biggest impacts are likely to be felt in developing and emerging countries which are least able to cope with them and have had little part in causing the problem.
Transport produces roughly 20% of UK greenhouse gas emissions. By far the largest proportion of these emissions, almost 60%, comes from cars. Public transport is responsible for less than 5% of transport emissions. Freight movement, by vans and HGVs, accounts for around 30% of transport emissions.
The emissions produced across Merseyside are modelled and monitored through the Merseyside Atmospheric Emissions Inventory. The inventory enables local authorities and Merseytravel to understand the sources and distribution of air pollution and to take action to reduce them. This map shows emissions of carbon dioxide released from road transport in Merseyside.
Areas where the greatest levels of emissions are produced are shown in red and orange, areas of lower emissions are shown in blue. The regions motorways and major road networks can clearly be picked out as red bands of high emissions.
Driving 1 mile in a small car is releases roughly the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions as leaving a 60 watt light-bulb on for 6 hours.
Climate change and carbon reduction are priorities in the 3rd Local Transport Plan. Measures to address these issues are outlined in a goal within LTP3 ‘Provide and promote a clean and low carbon transport system' which can be downloaded here.
In LTP3 we have combined our strategies to reduce carbon emissions and to improve air quality because we believe that this will result in more considered and cost-effective measures. The result is our Low Emission Strategy which sets out actions to increase the uptake of low emission vehicles and fuels, and other sustainable transport initiatives such as behaviour change programmes, travel planning and active travel infrastructure.
05.02.2012
Part of the Cycle Aigburth project, a Sunday ride designed to increase your confidence.
09.01.2012
A new landing stage for the Mersey Ferries has opened to passengers at Liverpool's Pier Head.