News
Tuesday, 10 November 2009
RSPB
CLIMATE CHANGE - A new overview - Indoor Talk
The data modelling from 1850 (around the start of the Industrial Revolution) to now is a good fit to actual records of temperature when the impact of human activity is added in to the mix. The forward predictions can be very alarming but we do still have time to reduce the carbon dioxide emissions - 2015 must be the global peak if we are going to stabilise at 2 degrees C (and stop the warming accelerating).
Richard gave us examples of how these changes will impact on our birds and animals.
There will be welcome newcomers - we've seen how Little Egrets have happily started breeding here and have spread from the south coast further north up the country; Dartford warblers are expanding their territory.
However, our northern birds who need territory such as the Cairngorms e.g. Scottish Crossbill and Ptarmigan, have no place to move to and we will see extinctions.
The predictions indicate that species will be forced to move about 500 miles north and east to find territory suitable for them.
The waders who escape their cold, northern breeding grounds by coming to us will not have to travel so far south e.g. dunlins will not have to go as far as the Severn Estuary. However, there will still be the cycles of periods of colder weather than average when the waders will need the sanctuary of places such as the Severn Estuary.
Richard gave us many more examples of the impacts of climate change (e.g. warmer summers, hard ground, Ring Ouzels can't get to the worms; crane flies hatching earlier but Golden Plovers whose chicks need this food are not adapting at the same rate).
It was good to know that the RSPB is taking action now to try and ensure there will be places for our birds.
The increasing number of bitterns has been a success story but most of their breeding areas are on the coast e.g. at Minsmere which is very vulnerable to sea level rise (a consequence of global warming). Thus, suitable habitat inland is being created now so the bitterns have somewhere to move to e.g. at Lakenheath Fen reserve.
Long term strategies are being planned e.g. Wallasea Island is a major project to provide intertidal habitat.
Richard certainly gave us a lot of food for thought and many questions were raised at the end of his presentation.
To conclude, he explained how the RSPB is campaigning for action to stop climate chaos. It is part of a group called Stop Climate Chaos Coalition, along with about a hundred other organisations who are trying to get action at the vital global talks in Copenhagen.
Leaflets were available at the meeting describing "the Wave", a march to Westminster planned for 5th December.
To find out other ways you can make a difference, please click on the link below