Is this week’s heatwave part of a trend due to climate change?
That was the question Green Party Councillor Will Roberts asked the Climate Change Portfolio Holder Heather Timms (Conservative) at Warwickshire County Council this week.
Since records began in 1893 temperatures in Warwick rarely exceeded 30 degrees. The record temperatures on Tuesday 19th July continued a trend of exceeding 30 degrees C in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Councillor Roberts said:
“No one weather event is attributable to climate change, but a trend is and that is clearly what we see here. I asked Councillor Timms to confirm that she recognised this trend and the impact of the health of Warwickshire residents, but twice she refused to answer. If we don’t recognise the problems we face how are we going to work together to adapt and find the solutions?”
Scientists have for decades predicted that climate change would produce more extreme weather events, whether that be flooding or extreme heat.
Councillor Roberts added:
“These kind of events will become more frequent. We need to adapt now. For instance, higher building standards in schools and new houses would keep rooms cooler in summer, warmer in winter and reduce energy bills.”
