Local councils in Sweden more interested in climate change preparedness
After last year’s scorching summer in Sweden, more local municipalities are keen on being prepared for the extreme weather that climate change brings.
Åsa Sjöström, who works on climate change at the meteorological service SMHI, says the agency has organised courses on adapting to climate change for people from local councils.
She says the kinds of things that local municipalities can do to deal with the heat include setting up canopies over pre-school playgrounds to give shade, making sure south-facing windows don’t let in too much light, and making sure there are plenty of shaded places outside in old age homes.
The risk of floods also needs to be taken into account when it comes to climate change, and there municipalities needs to make sure to keep track of drainage ways, that will take any sudden deluge of rainfall.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: City council in northwestern Canada postpones vote on climate change emergency, CBC News
Finland: Few Finns willing to make sacrifices alone for climate, poll finds, Yle News
Norway: Emissions dropping in EU, but not in Norway, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: June heat wave hits Northern Europe, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Sweden’s emissions are rising instead of falling, Radio Sweden
United States: Alaska’s largest city unveils climate plan calling for 80 percent emissions cut by 2050, Alaska Public Media
