The Isle of Wight Green Party is urging local authorities, businesses and residents to prepare for more frequent and intense heatwaves, warning that extreme temperatures are becoming the ‘new reality’.
A report published following June’s record-breaking week-long heatwave says the Island must begin adapting to a changing climate, alongside continuing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The document was compiled after a meeting held by the Isle of Wight Green Party on Saturday 28th June, where members discussed practical measures to help Islanders cope with future periods of extreme heat.
While stressing the importance of tackling climate change by cutting fossil fuel use, the report says adaptation is now equally essential to protect public health, reduce pressure on services and improve community resilience.
It warns that scientific evidence points to heatwaves becoming both more frequent and more intense in the years ahead.
The report references findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which says extreme weather events – including prolonged periods of temperatures above 35°C in the UK – are expected to become increasingly common as global temperatures continue to rise.
It also highlights projections from the Met Office suggesting that by 2050, summer temperatures of up to 45°C could become a serious possibility in southern England.
The Green Party also points to criticism made by the Climate Change Committee in May, when it described successive governments’ efforts to prepare the UK for more extreme heat as “woeful”.
Quoting the committee, the report states:
“The UK was built for a climate that no longer exists today and will be increasingly distant in years to come.”
The report concludes that the Isle of Wight must begin planning now for hotter summers, warning that the need to adapt may arrive much sooner than many people expect.
The Green Party says further proposals will focus on both short and long-term measures to help communities, infrastructure and public services better withstand future heatwave events.
The Green Party is headed by a man who thinks he can hypnotise women into growing larger breasts. I’d put more stock in the Monster Raving Loony Party.