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
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Warmer winters
Hotter summers with more heatwaves
So what are the implications?
Service Users
 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?
Organisations
 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
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More rain in winter
Less rain in summer
Heavier showers
So what are the implications?
Service Users
 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
Organisations
 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
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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
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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
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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
 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
Organisations
 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
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Local environment damaged
Agriculture affected – food
shortages/local economy
Driver 5: Drought
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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
 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
Organisations
 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
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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
 Need for making optimal use of
carbon reduction activities
resources/equipment
 Many could struggle to reduce energy
 Running costs likely to increase eg
consumption – hard to find info, often
renewable energy
upfront cost, need support as well
 Need to develop new thinking on how to
 New low carbon services/products – risk
run an org/deliver services
of corruption/poor quality
 May need funding to adapt org – needs
services/materials
government support
 Need education to change habits not just
 (Free) guidance on sustainability
inform
planning
 Opportunity for people to become
 Difficulties balancing current priorities
empowered – they become more
and adaptation
engaged, confident and knowledgeable
 Need for greater transport efficiency
 May see increased state control to
 Need more convenient/affordable public
enforce low carbon practices
transport
 Opportunities for people to take a
 Need to educate/train service users to
collaborative/cooperative approach
understand what they consume and
reduce their carbon footprint eg
recycling, energy efficiency, fuel poverty
work
 Need to walk the talk