Climate Change

Markfield Parish Neighbourhood Plan: Referendum Version

4.36. The reasons for designating these Local Green Spaces are summarised in Appendix 1.

Policy M6: Local Green Spaces

The following areas identified on Map 8 are designated as Local Green Space: A. Community Park B. Chapman Close C. Countryman Way D. Launde Road E. Whitcroft Close F. Bradgate Road G. The Leicester Road Cemetery H. Millennium Garden I. Sawpits Green and the two Upper Greens J. Jubilee Playing Fields

Climate Change

4.37. Climate change is now the greatest challenge facing our society. The scientific evidence of climate change is overwhelming, and the global impacts of climate change will be severe. It is often seen as a long-term challenge, but, as the latest IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) report makes clear, the impacts are being experienced now, through unprecedented global trends and through more localised severe weather events. While climate change will have a lasting impact on people and wildlife, it will also define future economic progress. Only those places that can demonstrate climate resilience will be able to secure insurance and investment.

4.38. It had been assumed that to avoid climate change’s worst impacts, it was vital to secure climate stabilisation at less than a 2oC global temperature increase above pre-industrial levels. This is the foundation of the UN Paris Agreement on climate change. However, the latest science indicates that 1.5oC is a more realistic target to avoid these worst extremes. Even if we can stabilise temperatures at or below the 1.5oC target there will still be significant impacts through severe weather incidents and sea level rise. Above all, the latest IPCC report illustrates the vital need to reduce climate change emissions now by transforming our energy systems. 4.39. Planning plays a central role in the transition to a low-carbon society, engaging communities and enabling environmentally friendly choices in everything from energy to transport. We can do this by shaping new and existing developments in ways that reduce carbon dioxide emissions and positively build community resilience to problems such as extreme heat or flood risk. 74% of respondents to the 2019 Questionnaire Survey indicated