Top 5 UK Urban Areas Fighting Climate Change

Over the last few decades, the impact of climate change on the environment has become more apparent within the world, and also in the UK. Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves, droughts, cold snaps, and flooding, are becoming more common and measures need to be taken to combat these potentially life-threatening events.

It is estimated that in the future the changes to the UK climate will only be intensified by pollution. Even if global goals for combating climate change are met and the Earth’s temperature increases by only 2 degrees, this will still add to the severe weather phenomena taking place in the UK.

If the goals are not met and the planet heats up by 4 degrees, then the effects will be devastating, with ocean levels rising, reduced river flow, water shortages, and extreme weather.

Not everything is bleak, though. The UK was a firm proponent of the 2015 Paris climate accords, and even before then it was taking measures to lessen carbon dioxide emissions. At this point in time, the majority of UK urban areas have plans in the works to become energy independent by 2050.

Five of the biggest urban areas in the UK, namely London, Manchester, West Yorkshire, Glasgow, and the West Midlands, are grappling with different issues in their fight to become more climate-friendly. In order to prepare and prevent the effects of floods, heatwaves, and other extreme weather occurrences, the people and the authorities must work around high population density, spatial planning complications, and pollutant technologies.

This is why GreenMatch has made an infographic in which the natural threats to the five urban areas are discussed, together with what preventive measures can be taken. Lastly, the impact of climate change for all of UK is discussed, together with what influences the UK's climate actions have on the planet.