NCVO Climate Change and BME Communities Project

Climate change – so what? Implications for BME organisations in

Greater Manchester

Initial thoughts from Workshop 1

Driver 1: Rising Temperatures

  • Warmer winters
  • Hotter summers with more heatwaves

So what are the implications?
Service Users / Organisations
  • Cheaper heating bills in winter – plus lower emissions
  • Summer air conditioning costly
  • Less cold-related illness/deaths
  • Need for information/awareness about keeping cool in summer and health implications – particularly children and older people
  • More heat-related illness/deaths eg heat stroke and skin cancer (from less cloud cover)
  • More vitamin D from less cloud cover
  • Water shortages – effects on health and hygiene
  • Hotter temperatures – risks to hygiene eg bin collections – smelly/more pests
  • People less likely to participate in activities in hotter temperatures
  • Heat could lead to tensions/civil unrest
  • Insects, animals and plants affected – different species appearing eg parrots and hibiscus?
/
  • Warmer winters = increased economic opportunities (=?)
  • Cost of air conditioning/electric fans in summer – and high carbon
  • Cheaper heating bills
  • Changing working habits eg siesta
  • Health and safety legal implications of hotter working conditions
  • Staff less productive in hot weather
  • Service users have less energy engaging in activities in hot weather
  • Demand for cool drinks
  • IT equipment adds to heat
  • Premises likely to be poorly equipped to deal with heat

Driver 2: More Seasonal Rainfall

  • More rain in winter
  • Less rain in summer
  • Heavier showers

So what are the implications?
Service Users / Organisations
  • Heavy rainfall could cause problems for transport eg public transport, deliveries
  • People less likely to go out in heavy rainfall/more rain in winter - discourages exercise, increases isolation and risk of depression, reduces wellbeing
  • Increased risk of accidents in very wet weather
  • SAD syndrome in winter
  • Difficulties accessing supplies/support/services in bad weather
  • Heavy rainfall could damage homes – costs/worry of repairs – insurance increases
  • Water supply affected – see drought and flood drivers
  • Need for more heating to combat damp
  • Water resistant clothing/gear – cost
  • More seasonal rain could affect crops – pests, increased food prices
/
  • Less take up of outdoor activities in wet weather/winter
  • Service user transport costs rise in wet weather – less walking, more taxis
  • Heavy rainfall could damage buildings – cost of repairs/maintenance/insurance
  • Higher heating bills to combat damp
  • Health and safety obligations for mobile staff/vols in bad weather
  • Disruption of services in heavy rain – could affect staff morale
  • Staff have difficulties getting into work in bad weather

(Driver 3: Rising Sea Levels – low likely impact on Greater Manchester so included as potential knock-on effect in Driver 6)

Driver 4: Floods

  • Surface water and sewer flooding
  • Fresh water river flooding
  • Coastal and tidal river flooding (but unlikely to have a direct effect on Greater Manchester)

So what are the implications?
Service Users / Organisations
  • Worry, illness, injury, death
  • Bigger risks for vulnerable people
  • Bigger risks for people in older houses
  • Forced to move – made homeless
  • Hygiene problems – increased pollution eg sewage / risk of disease
  • Services unavailable or reduced
  • Reduced communications network, power cuts
  • Lack of supplies
  • Unable to access services – lack of transport
  • Increased government/emergency service intervention
  • Affects social life, work, school
  • Impact on family – care for young/old
  • Isolation – vulnerable to exploitation
  • Decrease in confidence / low self-esteem
  • Increased costs of insurance and repair
  • Timescale of repair – living with discomfort
  • Cost of preventative measures
  • House prices affected
  • Local environment damaged
  • Agriculture affected – food shortages/local economy
/
  • Flooded premises – unable to access building/resources
  • Damage to structure/equipment
  • Staff/vols unable to get to work
  • Service delivery costs rise
  • Service disruption – short and long term – affecting targets/ability to continue service
  • Problems with cash flow
  • Low morale
  • Increased bills – insurance, repairs
  • Need to identify ways to adapt – new ways of working/new projects
  • Building maintenance

Driver 5: Drought

  • Decreased water supplies
  • Increased demand for water in hotter temperatures

WRITE UP MISSING: WE’LL HAVE ANOTHER QUICK BRAINSTORM ON THIS DRIVER AT THE NEXT WORKSHOP.

Driver 6: Climate Effects Elsewhere

Scarcity of resources and habitable land (eg through rising sea levels) causing eg:

  • Migration
  • Disruption of supplies
  • Decreased world security

So what are the implications?
Service Users / Organisations
  • Less contact with root countries [as climate impacts interrupt/destroy communication channels]
  • Family breakdown
  • If family members in other countries are forced to move, loss of identity/sense of belonging
  • Insecurity and fear [for family/friends in severely affected areas]
  • May need to send more money abroad – less money to live on here
  • Bad press [about climate migration]
  • Increase of racism and xenophobia [due to rising conflicts and climate migration]
  • More political unrest / community disharmony – conflicts and riots
  • Exploitation/lack of jobs [from growing disharmony]
  • Need for clear/better information about climate impacts across the world
  • Domino effect [of interdependent world]
  • Increased cost of living / food shortages
  • Increased taxes to support other countries
  • Migration could exacerbate scarcity of resources
/
  • Higher costs of resources
  • Scarcity/cost of resources could make orgs more resourceful/self-sufficient
  • More demand on services – increased need and less capacity eg food parcels
  • More asylum seekers and climate refugees to work with – more costs eg increased need for language interpreters
  • Tight immigration measures could reduce opps for talented people to work with orgs
  • Increased immigration: more diversity and new work force/business opportunities v risk of increased unemployment
  • Mistrust of orgs could rise [if social cohesion breaks down] – activities could come under more surveillance

Driver 7: Pressure for a Low Carbon Society

  • Obligations to reduce carbon emissions to avoid runaway climate change (mitigation)
  • Need to cope with rising costs and limited availability of resources affected by climate change (adaptation)

So what are the implications?
Service Users / Organisations
  • Risk of carbon poverty – exclusion from carbon reduction activities
  • Many could struggle to reduce energy consumption – hard to find info, often upfront cost, need support as well
  • New low carbon services/products – risk of corruption/poor quality services/materials
  • Need education to change habits not just inform
  • Opportunity for people to become empowered – they become more engaged, confident and knowledgeable
  • May see increased state control to enforce low carbon practices
  • Opportunities for people to take a collaborative/cooperative approach
/
  • Need for making optimal use of resources/equipment
  • Running costs likely to increase eg renewable energy
  • Need to develop new thinking on how to run an org/deliver services
  • May need funding to adapt org – needs government support
  • (Free) guidance on sustainability planning
  • Difficulties balancing current priorities and adaptation
  • Need for greater transport efficiency
  • Need more convenient/affordable public transport
  • Need to educate/train service users to understand what they consume and reduce their carbon footprint eg recycling, energy efficiency, fuel poverty work
  • Need to walk the talk