With many of the extreme effects of climate change taking place in other parts of the world, the "it will not affect me" attitude cannot be adopted by this country.

Indeed already coastal erosion is having a marked effect on the beaches of the conurbation and a great deal of money is being spent to protect this valuable tourist asset. Rising sea levels will not only accelerate beach erosion but will also increase the risk of flooding in many areas. Climate change and long periods of either dry or wet weather can seriously affect agriculture, and whilst the conurbation does not encompass a great deal of agriculture, the economy of the surrounding area of rural Dorset is reliant on agriculture. Temperature and humidity extremes can also affect personal health, especially that of the young, and elderly people. Conditions such as asthma are affected by such changes in the environment.

So it can be seen that the problems that climate change can have will seriously affect the economy of the area, as well as the obvious environmental considerations. Therefore it is in the interests of the conurbation to encourage measures that will reduce the rate of climate change, as the medium to long-term effects will have serious consequences on the area.

These consequences are summarised as follows:

The Councils' policies on transportation recognise the impact that sustainable transport has on the wider context of global warming and climate change. Policies that support this view include: