The weather reports are looking ominous these days. Regularly we are greeted with news of extreme conditions, like the scorching Indian heat wave last week which claimed over 1,000 lives as temperatures soared to 50oC. And closer to home, nearly two million residential properties in Wales and England are now categorised as at risk from flooding.

Most people have heard of global warming and climate change. We prefer to call it global storming and climate chaos. The planet is heating up fast and the weather getting more extreme. It is the most rapid change in 10,000 years.

Whats happening in Wales?

Temperatures in Wales may be up to 3oC warmer year round by 2080; when in the last 100 years, they rose only 0.6oC. This will mean many more drought years. Perhaps in Pembrokeshire, we might like the idea of a warmer climate! But its unlikely to be as cosy as it sounds. We will also have more stormy and unpredictable weather. We may read in the news of Haverfordwest streets again under water, and more violent storms striking our coast. Coastal areas of Wales may be doubly affected by sea-level rise, increasing property damage and cliff falls . Two of Pembrokeshires main incomes are from tourism and farming. These are very affected by climate. Much wetter weather will make it difficult for farmers to get machinery on their land during autumn and winter, and summer droughts will require more irrigation. Tourism will suffer unless we provide more covered activities.

Wildlife is changing also. According to an article in the Western Telegraph (January 9th, 2001), barracuda are being caught near Pembrokeshire waters and many more insects are surviving into the winter period. Birds that migrate in October are still here at Christmas; and others such as dippers are no longer common on our riverbanks.

These changes are all because of the lifestyle we have become used to in the industrialised world. We are currently heavily dependent on burning coal, gas and oil, and destroying forests. This releases massive amounts of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, which scientists say is causing climate chaos. Such levels of CO2 have not been seen for up to 20 million years, according to the United Nations panel of scientists (IPCC) that advises governments on climate change.

Climate change is expensive, no matter which way you look at it. Severe weather damage in the UK now costs over one billion pounds a year, according to the UK Meteorological Office. But the cost of reducing emissions is much less than the costs of no action at all.

To avoid worsening climate change our emissions need to fall to 2.45 tons a year (per person globally). As half of all greenhouse emissions in the UK come from our homes and private transport, that means we can personally do something about it!

And now the good news is:

Internationally we are doing something. Governments are slowly changing policies on energy and transport. Even the Shell oil company predicts 50% of energy could come from renewable sources in the next 50 years. A few European regions are aiming for 100%.

Theres a lot everyone can do to change things. Governments are making progress but we have to be responsible too. We need to be aware in our daily lives, and support efforts in our community to adapt.

* Cara Wilson is the project officer for the Climate Change Awareness and Action Programme run by Pembrokeshire Energy Agency with the support of Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks Environment Development Fund. The agency offers free presentations to businesses, schools and community groups on the issues raised above.