What is Climate Change?
Climate Change is the long-term shift in the Earth’s average temperatures and weather conditions – the change in the climate.
Climate Change is when the Earth’s temperatures and weather patterns change a lot over a long time. This can happen naturally, like when there are changes in the sun’s activities or large volcanic eruptions. But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate change by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil, and gas.
When we burn fossil fuels like coal, oil, and gas, it releases gases called greenhouse gases. These gases act like a blanket around the Earth, trapping the sun’s heat and making the planet warmer.
There are several greenhouse gases that are causing climate change and include methane, carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides. These gases are released when we use our cars, heat and light our buildings, burn forests and during farming.
2024 was the warmest year on record globally, with average temperatures reaching approximately 1.55°C above pre-industrial levels. The years 2023, 2024 and 2025 are now the three warmest years ever recorded, and the eleven warmest years on record have all occurred since 2015. Scientists attribute this long-term warming trend primarily to human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
Temperature rise is only one small part of climate change. The Earth is a system where everything is closely connected and balanced. Changes in one area has impacts in other areas.
The consequences of climate change include flooding, rising sea levels, forest fires, increased storm intensity and rainfall, droughts and water shortages. Some parts of the world experience theses consequences more intensely than others, but there isn’t anywhere that won’t experience the consequences of our changing climate.
The impacts of Climate Change in Wealden
The world is changing, and we need to change with it. The impacts of Climate Change are already being felt all over the world.
In the last few years, here in Wealden, we have experienced unprecedented weather. We have had back-to-back named storms, heatwaves, floods and unseasonable weather. This more extreme weather poses a challenge to how we travel and feed ourselves. It also impacts how we keep Wealden safe for future generations.
The whole world needs to adapt to Climate Change. In Wealden we have an opportunity to lead the way in demonstrating what is possible. The sooner we change, the sooner we will be able to create a clean, prosperous, and fair future for everyone – in Wealden, and beyond.
Climate projections
The most recent UK climate projections from the Met Office Hadley Centre (UKCP18) indicate that the south east of the UK is expected to experience continued warming and changes in rainfall patterns over the coming decades.
By the 2040s, under a medium emissions scenario, the south east of England is projected to experience:
- Hotter summers, with average summer temperatures increasing by around 2°C to 3°C
- Milder winters, with average winter temperatures increasing by around 1°C to 2°C
- Drier summers, with a reduction in average summer rainfall of around 20% to 30%
- Wetter winters, with an increase in average winter rainfall of around 10% to 20%
By the 2080s, these changes are projected to become more pronounced:
- Summer temperatures could rise by around 4°C to 6°C
- Winter temperatures could rise by around 2°C to 4°C
- Summer rainfall could descrease by around 30% to 50%
- Winter rainfall could increase by around 20% to 30%
Sea level around the UK is also projected to continue rising, with estimates ranging from around 0.3 metres by the 2040s to around 0.8 metres or more by the 2080s, depending on global emissions and local conditions.
These projections highlight the importance of long-term adaptation planning alongside action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
What does this mean?
Communities across Wealden, especially those in the south of the district, Pevensey, are vulnerable to flooding.
More recently communities in the district have experienced flooding in, Hellingly, Hailsham, Heathfield and Alfriston.
Other locations across the district such as Crowborough, Uckfield, Forest Row, Polegate, Willingdon are also known to be at flood risk.
- Around 5 million people live in flood risk areas in England and Wales
- One in six homes in England is at risk of flooding.
- 40% of businesses do not reopen after suffering a catastrophic loss.
Sign up for flood warnings direct to your telephone, mobile, email, SMS text message.
You can also register by calling Floodline on 0345 988 1188.
You can also:
- check for current flood warnings in your area, or call Floodline on 0345 988 1188
- check the long term flood risk of an area
For more information about what you need to do if your area receives a flood alert, and advice, see our Flooding and Severe Weather Warnings page
See what work we have previously done to better prepare residents for flooding, as well as find our Strategic Flood Risk Assessment.
Additionally, please see East Sussex County Council’s work on flooding for more information on what is happening county wide.
There is increasing evidence that Climate Change is influencing rainfall patterns in many regions around the world. With Climate Change, we’re expecting more frequent and severe droughts due to patterns of low rainfall and higher temperatures.
This could negatively impact local agriculture, causing disruptions in food chains, affecting production, leading to price increases, shortages, and contributing to food insecurity.
For more information on how you can help reduce the chances of droughts in Wealden visit our page on saving water.
The country is experiencing more frequent and intense extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, which are placing increased pressure on water resources and infrastructure.
Climate Change is also affecting water quality and availability, as rising temperatures and changing rain patterns alter the water cycle.
South East England is already a water stressed region.
There will be increases in the intensity of heatwaves, more frequent storms and flooding, and higher risks of infectious diseases outbreaks. This has a negative effect on mental health as well as being a direct threat to our lives.
The public health benefits of climate action far outweigh the costs. Tackling climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions will result in improved health particularly through improving air pollution, more physical activity and healthier diets. For more information about the links between climate change and health, check out The Lancet Countdown and Greener NHS.
Evidence that the climate is changing
It is well established that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, ocean and land. Global observations show that average surface temperature has risen by around 1.1°C to 1.3°C above pre-industrial levels, according to major climate datasets assessed by the IPCC and Met Office.
In the UK, the Met Office State of the UK Climate reports that the most recent decade has been around 1°C warmer than the 1961 to 1990 baseline. The last decade has also been among the warmest on record, reflecting a clear long-term warming trend driven primarily by greenhouse gas emissions from human activity.
What does this mean?
Each of the last three decades has been warmer than the one before, reflecting a clear long-term warming trend. In the UK, all of the ten warmest years in the national record have occurred since 2002, and the majority have occurred since 2015.
Warming has not been uniform across the globe. Temperatures have increased more over land than over oceans, and the Arctic has warmed at more than twice the global average rate, a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification.
Recent UK records highlight this trend. 2022 was the UK’s warmest year on record at the time, with an average annual temperature exceeding 10°C for the first time. This record was then surpassed by 2023, which is now confirmed as the UK’s warmest year on record. Globally, 2023 was also the warmest year on record in most major datasets.
While the climate is clearly warming, temperatures will not increase evenly from year to year. Natural variability will continue to produce cooler years and seasons, but these are becoming less frequent, while the likelihood of extreme heat and other weather extremes continues to increase.
For more in-depth evidence of our changing climate, see the information below.
The Climate Change Committee is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. Their purpose is to advise the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets and to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for and adapting to the impacts of climate change.
The latest report is called the Climate Change Risk Assessment 3 (CCRA3).
The full statutory Climate Change Risk Assessment 4 report is expected January 2027.
The Climate Change Committee found that the major risks facing England that are expected to have a big impact in the future and need immediate attention, considering any actions already taken to adapt, are:
- Climate Change causing problems for the natural world; affecting land, water, coastlines, and marine life, as well as forests and farming
- More pests, diseases, and invasive species harming land, water, and marine habitats, forestry, and farming
- The risk of Climate Change leading to more frequent flooding and coastal erosion, damaging important services like energy, transportation, water, and communication
- Less available water due to increasing periods of drought
- Extreme weather affecting transportation, like heatwaves, strong winds, and lightning
- Health and well-being issues from hotter temperatures and changing energy needs in homes
- More frequent and severe flooding of homes, communities, and businesses
- Coastal towns and businesses being threatened by rising sea levels, floods, and erosion
- Disruptions to health and social care services because of extreme weather events happening more often
- Damage to historical sites and landmarks from changes in temperature, rainfall, groundwater, and landscapes
- International problems like food shortages, safety concerns, and changes in laws due to Climate Change affecting the UK, as well as issues with global trade, public health, and interconnected risks across different areas
The Met Office Hadley Centre is one of the UK’s foremost Climate Change research centres.
Their aim is to provide climate science and services to people and organisations, so they can make better decisions to stay safe and thrive. They do this by working with partners around the globe, carrying out world leading research.
Their research has many purposes, including:
- Monitoring changes to the climate
- Determining the cause of these changes
- Developing services with end-users to find effective approaches to manage climate risk
See the Met Office Climate Dashboard to see how the Met Office tracks the changing climate with earth observations.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change.
Their latest assessment summarises:
- There is still time to limit the worst effects of Climate Change
- Stabilising the climate will require the planet to reach net-zero CO2 emissions by 2050
- The planet’s climate is warming faster than anything experienced
- Every part of our planet is already seeing multiple and increasing changes in their climate systems
- Global warming is very likely to reach 1.5°C by 2040
- Climate Change is intensifying the water cycle affecting rainfall patterns
- Coastal areas will see continued sea-level rise throughout the 21st
- Further warming will amplify impacts globally