East End Quality of Life Initiative is keen to communicate the effects of climate change to local communities in Sheffield. As a way of demonstrating what people can do for themselves, and the practical benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the home, EEQOL have been loaning out Smart Meters to people in Darnall and Tinsley. Using a Smart Meter (from Efergy, who supplied the project with the meters at cost price)  shows where and how energy is being used, helps identify where energy consumption could be reduced, and confirms whether energy saving measures are working.

EEQOL are also working with WWF/CAG to help assess their Community Engagement Impact Assessment Tool, by completing a short questionnaire with people who take part.

Follow these links for more information. If you live in Tinsley or Darnall and would like to try a Smart Meter at home for a month, contact Barbara Rimmington (0114 285 9931) or Neil Parry (0114 285 9911).

In 2002, the Department of Health published its first report, based on evidence provided by the UK Climate Impacts Group (UKCIP). The report suggested that:

• cold-related deaths were likely to decrease by up to 20,000 annually
• heat-related deaths might increase by up to 2,000 per year
• cases of food poisoning could increase by about 10,000 per year
• there could be a small increase in vector-borne diseases (e.g. malaria and tick-borne diseases)
• a small increase in water-borne diseases was possible
• a significant risk of more major disasters caused by severe winter gales and coastal flooding
• a decline in the effects of air pollutants on health, but several thousand extra deaths and hospital admissions per year due to the effects of ozone in the summer
• increase of skin cancer by about 5,000 cases per year and cataracts by 2,000 cases per year
• measures taken to reduce the rate of climate change through reducing greenhouse gas emissions could have secondary benefits for health (e.g. through reduced road accidents, increased walking and cycling, and improved house insulation).

An updated report was published by the Department of Health in February 2008.

Summary for the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, November 2004.

UKCIP provides scenarios that show how our climate might change and co-ordinates research on dealing with our future climate. The climate of the United Kingdom and recent trends is the first in a series of reports under the umbrella of the UK 21st Century Climate Change Scenarios (known as UKCIP08). When considering how climate change is going to affect the UK, it’s useful to understand the risks that current climate already poses to individuals, landscapes, organisations and the economy, before moving on to explore future climate risks. Their new report provides a valuable source of information to support this first step, stimulating better understanding of how the UK’s climate affects our everyday lives.

Sheffield Director of Public Health Report 2006

The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) published a briefing "Climate Change and Health: Protecting the most vulnerable" in October 2007, presenting a review of scientific evidence on climate change and health in European countries, and policy recommendations.