A global issue with a local impact

This month we focus on a global issue with a local impact. Climate change is having serious consequences on our lives, and one of the most striking is the lack of rainfall and the unusually warm temperatures this winter. The past few months have been among the driest in the country's recent history, with drought conditions on the rise despite occasional rain. Water levels in reservoirs are for the moment still secure, but the worrying thing at this time of year is that woodland is drier than normal, increasing the risk of forest fires in summer, while harvests are also under threat. As a result, calls can be heard from the forestry and farming sectors for a rethink of how we manage water resources and climate change, the effects of which have a direct impact on our communities and lifestyles. Forecasts suggest that the dry weather will continue, making spring one of the driest on record. The situation could become desperate if the rate of rainfall does not return to more normal levels before the summer begins. Read all about this subject in our main feature by Irene Casellas. We would also like to invite you on a trip we are organising to visit Shakespeare's birthplace, Stratford-upon-Avon, in May. Find out more information on this ECCClub offer on page 56. And as always, stay tuned!