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Climate change is already having major impacts around the world. These impacts could intensify, indirectly affecting the UK and here in Walsall in the following ways.
Migration
Since 2008, an average of more than 20 million people per year have been displaced by extreme weather events, many of which were exacerbated by climate change, according to the IPCC.
With more extreme weather events expected, those displaced will seek new places to live. Here in the UK, coastal area's could be affected, forcing inward migration to places such as Walsall. This could have affects on the town's resources.
“Climate change is likely to increase migration flows over the coming decades. Increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events are expected to increase “forcible displacements”, and the “slow-onset” impacts of climate change are expected to make the hardest hit regions uninhabitable.” UK Government 7 Sept 2023
Food poverty
•The availability of non-seasonal food from elsewhere in the world could decrease
•As climate change takes affect, domestic and international farmland could become unfarmable, increasing scarcity and cost.
•The number of homes in food poverty could increase.
• The quality of food produced could decline
•Other Lower-quality foods such as highly processed food could be produced to replace traditional quality food.
•If flooding increases here in the UK, domestic food security could become a massive issue as farmland becomes unusable, therefore raising prices and making it more difficult and costly for people in places like Walsall to obtain quality, home grown food.
War & Conflict
•The war in Ukraine has been attributed to rising energy and food prices within the UK. With more conflict, this could continue.
•Domestic unrest could become an issue as resources become ever more scarce
•More people will become displaced, migration will increase.
•Farmland and other resources used to provide food could become polluted, therefore driving up global & domestic food prices.
Extreme weather
•Extreme weather is already happening here in the UK and around the world. How does extreme weather affect us locally?
•Flooding could increase disruption to local farming
•Droughts could restrict water supplies and increase health issues to vulnerable people
•Local wildlife could continue to decline
•World-wide extreme weather could have an economic impact on food prices and availability.
•Sporting and other cultural events could be permanently affected by weather (Walsall FC, Worcester Cricket etc)
•People could lose possessions due to homes being flooded
•Long periods of rainfall could have prolonged affects on the local economy, with local businesses suffering.
•People in coastal area’s could be displaced and forced to retreat inland, including Walsall.
Poverty
How could climate change impact on poverty in a town like Walsall?
Energy bills could become more expensive, both for cooling homes in summer and heating them in winter. The cost of food is susceptible to shocks. Extreme weather, and disasters are increasingly responsible for production shortages that bump up food prices.
More towns and areas could become inhabitable due to flooding, putting increased demand on housing and driving up both rent and house prices.
As the cost-of-living increases, households teetering on the edge could find it harder and harder to pay bills and rent and may face the real possibility of homelessness.
Water bills could rise by up to 40% to cover repairs to fix sewage spills caused by increasing flash flooding.
Pollution
How could climate change impact on pollution in a town like Walsall?
The Black Country gained its name in the mid nineteenth century due to the smoke from the many thousands of ironworking foundries and forges plus also the working of the shallow and 30ft thick coal seams.
Now air pollution is better but will this always be the case?
What are the impacts on air quality from climate change?
Health – Service provision – Economy etc
Poor people, elderly people, and young children who come from poor families are the most affected and the least likely to be able to cope with the health impacts that come with air pollution.
Air pollution is the world’s leading environmental cause of illness and premature death.
Fine air pollution particles or aerosols, also known as fine particulate matter or PM2.5, are responsible for 6.4 million deaths every year, (36,000 in the UK)
Source: World bank - What You Need to Know About Climate Change and Air Pollution sept 2022.
Pollution – salt water intrusion
Sea-level rise, in combination with increased drought could affect groundwater sources, rendering groundwater wells unusable.
The “salt front” (location of the freshwater-saltwater line) may progress further upstream. This encroachment may be further exacerbated by drought, reduced rainfall or changes in water use and demand.
Saltwater intrusion, through surface or ground water sources, may diminish the availability or quality of source waters for drinking water utilities.
The rise in sea levels could have an affect on freshwater wildlife.
Flooding here in the UK is leading to our sewage and drainage systems becoming overwhelmed, this is leading to water companies having to discharge raw sewage into our rivers and waterways. The image above: More than 5,000 fish were killed after a sewage discharged in the River Great Ouse. Credit: Environment Agency
As pollution spreads, our natural habitat and food sources will become unstable – leading to ill health and wildlife destruction.
How could pollution affect a town like Walsall?
Increased air pollution could mean more people suffering from breathing related illnesses and increases in premature deaths.
If more people suffer from pollution related illnesses, it will increase strain on public services.
The affects of air pollution could have increased effects upon the local economy.
Sea-level rise could pollute ground and freshwater sources, harming local wildlife, causing a lack of available drinking water and increasing the cost of providing freshwater to the town.
Table shows air quality for Walsall Postcode WS3 1TR
Source: Friends of the earth.
Rising sea levels
Rising Sea level – Current fluctuation
The effects of rising sea levels on a town like Walsall.
•Coastal populations could be forced to migrate inwards to towns like Walsall.
•Saltwater could enter rivers and affect freshwater sources
•Freshwater becomes less abundant and more expensive
•Food production could become affected and more expensive
• Wildlife could be affected.
Economic Collapse
The largest impact of climate change is that it could wipe off up to 18% of GDP off the worldwide economy by 2050 if global temperatures rise by 3.2°C, the Swiss Re Institute warns.
Forecast based on temperature increases staying on the current trajectory and the Paris Agreement and net-zero emissions targets not being met.
Figure could rise to 18% of GDP by mid-century if temperatures increase by 3.2°C in the most severe scenario.
Climate change is a systemic risk that must be addressed now, warns Swiss Re.
How could economic collapse affect a town like Walsall?
Unemployment could rise
Prices could rise
There could be an increase in fuel and food poverty
Civil unrest could become prevalent
Life expectancy could reduce
Illness could increase
Local resources could become less abundant
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