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Climate change in London

London is responsible for 8 per cent of the UK’s total emissions. Given London's forecast economic and population growth, this will increase to 15 per cent by 2025.

London has a good record in addressing climate change compared with other cities. For example, we are the only major city to have achieved a shift away from private car usage to public transport, cycling and walking.

The effects of climate change on London are already visible and include higher temperatures in summer and winter aggravated by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, wetter winters, drier summers and extra pressure on London's water resources.

In response to these threats the Mayor is preparing London's Climate Change Adaptation Strategy. This looks at how London can manage the following effects of climate change:

• Flooding
• Overheating
• Limited water resources and subsidence

Flooding

Climate change will increase the probability of flooding whilst new developments will increase the consequence of any flooding. Sea levels are predicted to rise by between 26 and 86cms by the end of the century. These predictions do not include catastrophic events such as the collapse of ice sheets in West Antarctica and Greenland.

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Overheating

By the middle of the century, London is predicted to experience heat wave conditions in two out of three summers. London experiences a phenomenon called the Urban Heat Island effect (UHI), which means the centre of London may be up to nine degrees warmer at night than the surrounding countryside.

Our research on London's Urban Heat Island has shown that climate change will intensify the UHI - it will not increase the peak temperatures of the UHI, but it will increase the frequency of UHI events.

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Water Resources

Climate change is expected to affect water availability in London reducing the replenishment of groundwater, lessening river flows, more leakage from water mains due to increasing subsidence, and increasing evaporation (hotter summers, clearer skies).

Yet, there is increasing demand for water and Londoners now use more water than other cities in the UK and EU.

Action is now needed to:

• Encourage people to change their perception of water through information campaigns. Investigating London-wide water metering options and water tariff rates that encourage careful water use.
• Waste less water as currently 23 per cent of London water is lost between treatment plant and the consumers' tap.
• Recycle more as only 2 per cent of all water purified to drinking quality standard is used where such quality is important. Why do we flush our loos using drinking quality water?
• Regulate: Collect water when we have too much (and manage flood risk) and use it when we have less – for example rainwater harvesting.

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