On 5 March 2019, Mansfield District Council declared a Climate Emergency in the district.
What is climate change?
'Climate change' refers to changes in the earth's climate that are caused by increasing levels of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
Greenhouse gases cause the earth to heat up, which affects global weather patterns, sea levels and the frequency of extreme weather events. Human activities have contributed to increasing levels of greenhouse gases - especially the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal, oil and natural gas, which release CO2 into the atmosphere.
In order to reduce the challenges posed by climate change, we must reduce the amount of CO2 carbon dioxide) we produce. This can be achieved by making simple changes to our day to day lives, like using less energy, driving less and recycling more.
We also need to prepare for the changes in our climate (adaptation) and by taking positive action we can take advantage of opportunities.