Bradford is the fourth largest District in England in terms of population. Over 485,000 people live in Bradford. Surprisingly, two-thirds of the District is rural with the majority of the population living in urban centres of Bradford, Shipley, Bingley, Keighley and Ilkley.
Bradford Metropolitan District covers an area of approximately 400 square km and has a varied environment which ranges from moorlands, valleys, floodplains and river systems.
Our way of life is based on the existence of a stable and temperate climate. However our demand for energy and transport and our consumption and disposal of goods could be changing that climate.
Everyday we all contribute to the amount of carbon dioxide that is released into the environment. Everyday actions such as making unnecessary trips in the car, leaving electrical appliances on standby, not turning lights off when you leave a room and flying on holiday all increase our impact on the environment.
On average, each person in Bradford produces a total greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 6.5 tonnes of CO2 per year just from energy and transport use. With over 485,000 people living in Bradford, that equates to roughly 3 million* tonnes of CO2 in total!
We can all do out bit to help tackle climate change and reduce our impact on environment, it's the everyday steps we all take that can make a big difference locally and globally.
*Statistics taken from DEFRA End User Local and Regional Estimates of Carbon Emissions, 2004 findings
Find out more about Yorkshire & Humber's Climate Change Action Plan at www.yourclimate.org.
Climate Change is real and it’s happening now!
Locally, climate change will affect many aspects of our lives, our environment, local businesses and public services in general.
Here's a few of the extreme weather events that happened in recent years.
- Floods in Keighley, Bingley and Shipley.
- River Aire bursts its banks.
- Drainage problems in the region as a result of increased rainfall.
- Stormy weather with gale force winds.
- Storm damage to houses in the Bradford District.
- Weather damage to historic buildings and heritage sites in the Bradford District.
- Heat waves in the Bradford District with temperatures reaching record highs.
- The hottest year ever on record was 2003 with temperature reaching 38.5 degrees in some parts of the UK.
- In summer a record 4,000 people visited Ilkley Lido outdoor swimming pool in one day!
- 180 Hectares of moorland in Ilkley caught fire partly due to very hot summer temperatures
- Lack of snow in winter 2006 and early 2007 meant that the frequency of highway gritting was less than half the District's average.
