Looking After the National Park>

Climate change

Building fences in the Lake District National Park>

Low-carbon Lake District

Low Carbon Lake District>

The Lake District of 2050 could feel very different to today. As climate change takes hold, weather patterns will alter, and extreme events will become more common. There will be changes to the coastline, water cycles and conditions for wildlife. And as society tries to head down a lower-carbon path, the way that we build, travel, work and manage land will change dramatically.

There are real benefits to early action on climate change. As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Review makes clear, it is more cost-effective to tackle climate change now than to cope with its consequences.

Project

The Low-carbon Lake District project will help our response to climate change, make us a leader on climate change management and chart the way ahead for a low-carbon Lake District. Rebecca Willis (opens in new window), an independent researcher and Vice Chair of the Sustainable Development Commission, is leading this project for us.

Full Report

Working with organisations, both local and national, who have a stake in the Park, Rebecca’s study looks at what is already being done to cut carbon. It also anticipates the effects of climate change, and help charts the way ahead to a low-carbon Lake District.

Read Rebecca Willis' full Low-carbon Lake District report (opens Document Library).

Small island in Windermere>

Conference Summary

The report was launched at the Low Carbon Conference on 16 June 2008 at the Castle Green Hotel, Kendal. Read the details of the conference in the Low Carbon Lake District Conference Summary (opens Document Library)

Useful links

A Sustainable Energy Agency for Cumbria: The Business Case (opens Document Library)
Low-carbon Lake District South West Study Tour report (opens Document Library)
You, Me and the Climate Un-conference video (opens in new window)
Our managing climate change action plan (opens Document Library)
Cumbria climate change strategy and our response to the Cumbria climate change strategy (both open Document Library)
Toolkit for Sustainable Living - our web section of practical hints and tips about how you can help tackle climate change
Renewable energy - our web page about domestic eco-friendly energy generators
Fix the Fells - climate and erosion (opens in new window) - the effects of climate change on upland footpaths