Earlier in October, the National Emergency Briefing team hosted a webinar on El Niño’s potential impacts on weather and food supplies worldwide.

Professors Paul Behrens, Hayley Fowler and Mike Berners-Lee discussed the uncertainties and raised concerns about the UK’s preparedness for extreme weather and food supply disruption.

According to the Met Office, summer 2026 had a mean temperature of 16.5°C, provisionally making it the UK’s warmest summer and warmest season in records dating back to 1884. 

The season’s mean temperature was made around 130 times more likely due to human-induced climate change. 

The Accelerator for Systemic Risk Assessment (ASRA) brought around 30 people together to explore pollution and changing water levels along Somerset’s River Tone from wildlife perspectives.

Its Risks Beyond Human Eyes project combined local knowledge and ecological evidence to help communities consider risks, with funding from the Ecological Citizen(s) Network+.

We’re inviting community groups, schools, councils, farmers and land managers to apply for new funding to help nature recover across Somerset.

We’ve launched the Local Nature Recovery Strategy (LNRS) Community Seed Fund, with grants of up to £10,000 per project available for initiatives that support the priorities set out in Somerset’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy.

We’ve confirmed funding will be given to local communities before winter to help them build flood resilience as part of a major Government-funded programme.

In June, the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (Defra) announced that we would be allocated £50m for flood resilience. Since then, we’ve been working closely with partners and communities to develop a wide-ranging programme of works to reduce flood risk and increase flood resilience across the county, ranging from large engineering projects to community-based support.

We’ll switch our electricity supplies back to renewable energy from April 2027 as part of our commitment to tackling climate change and becoming a net zero organisation.

We’ve selected a new “Clean Renewable” energy tariff, meaning the electricity we buy through our council contract will be specifically sourced from wind, solar and hydro generation.

You can check if your energy supplier offers a 100% REGO (Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin) backed renewable electricity tariff for your home and/or business or switch via Uswitch.

Enabling works start next month in readiness for a vital £6 million flood alleviation project to help protect homes and businesses in Taunton.

We and the Environment Agency are working in partnership to replace and improve the river flood defences along the left bank of the Tone – Clarence Street, the river footpath by BT Exchange and by the former Poundstretcher site.

Our volunteer Rights of Way Ease of Use Surveyors help monitor Somerset’s network of over 6,100km of paths, reporting issues and clearing minor vegetation so others can enjoy the countryside.

Abbie shares why she enjoys the role, which combines exploring local paths with supporting her community and can fit volunteering around other commitments.

On 11 September, our Senior Ecologist Nathaniel Legall, a member of the Somerset Mammal Group, led a successful small mammal monitoring training session at the National Trust’s Fyne Court.

Volunteers from the Quantock Hills National Landscape joined National Trust staff and our colleagues to develop skills and share knowledge.

According to The People’s Emergency Briefing screenings map, community groups, village halls, parish councils and businesses have led over 100 screenings across Somerset.

The 50-minute film draws on last year’s National Emergency Briefing in London, where 9 experts examined the climate and nature crisis, its impacts on health, security and food, and the urgent action needed.

On 10 October, Somerset Wildlife Trust hosted its annual Wilder Together event, which this year included its Climate Summit.

Community groups and individuals came together to share local action supporting nature and tackling climate change across Somerset. Talks, workshops and stalls offered inspiration and opportunities to learn from successful projects.

The Somerset Eel Recovery Project (SERP), which began within Green Wedmore, recently took its work to the Palace of Westminster.

The event, hosted by Sarah Dyke, MP for Glastonbury and Somerton, highlighted how local action can support the European eel’s recovery.

The Mendip Hills National Landscape team’s Big Visitor Count tracked changing visitor patterns at 16 locations in 2026, working with farmers and landowners. Since 2019, Crook Peak and Cheddar Gorge have become busier, while visits to Velvet Bottom and Dolebury Warren have declined.

The findings help balance public access, conservation and local needs. The team has awarded over £200,000 for paths, gates, signs and visitor information. A separate visitor survey will offer further insights later in 2026.

Visit our events calendar for a fantastic array of upcoming climate-related activities designed to engage and inspire you – our SEEN community!

Whether you’re interested in environmental conservation, local wildlife or simply looking for a fun day out with the family, these events provide the perfect opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and learn something new.

Similarly, if you’re holding an eco-event of your own, email us at climateemergency@somerset.gov.uk so we can tell our readers.

Burnham and Weston Energy offers free, independent home energy advice in Somerset and North Somerset for eligible households earning less than £31,000 a year or receiving benefits, including pension credit and disability benefits. The service is available regardless of your energy supplier.

An adviser can help you understand bills, deal with supplier issues, check benefit entitlements and explore grants. Home visits can also include fitting free energy-saving items, with your permission. Find out more about free home energy advice or call 01278 558370.

Reimagining the Levels is offering free saplings for tree and hedgerow planting to individuals and community groups with land. The team can assess suitability, advise on species and aftercare, and offer volunteer support with planting.

With Somerset having the lowest tree canopy, planting can help reduce flooding, store carbon and provide wildlife habitats and shade.

The Met Office’s UK Climate Projections (UKCP18) offer data and tools to explore how the UK’s climate could change. They help users understand possible future conditions and the climate risks they may need to prepare for.

Community groups, businesses and planners may find these resources useful when considering how to adapt to future impacts. The Met Office website provides access to the projections, with guidance and training to help users explore and interpret the information.

The RestPoll Toolbox brings together information, resources and practical tools to help restore habitats for pollinators. It is designed for everyone, from residents and community groups to farmers, researchers and policymakers, whatever their experience.

Its resources are organised around 5 actions: Read, Record, Rethink, Restore and Rally, helping you find a starting point for pollinator conservation. Explore the RestPoll Toolbox for ideas to support pollinators in your community.

A report from The Earthshot Prize and the University of Exeter identifies 51 solutions to accelerate environmental recovery.

Positive Tipping Points: Accelerating system change to repair our planet explores opportunities across nature, clean air, oceans, waste and climate.

It explains how positive tipping points can make progress self-reinforcing, as wider adoption lowers costs and attracts investment.

Community groups, businesses and policymakers can explore these ideas to inform environmental action.

Backed by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Somerset-based Carbon Aware People enables individuals and businesses to help fund woodland and peatland restoration across the UK through subscriptions starting at £5 a month.

Subscribers receive filmed project updates and invitations to planting days, wildlife surveys and tree-related events. Explore Carbon Aware People to find out more.

If you’re interested in how banks approach environmental issues, their published policies and reports can provide information about their lending and financing activities. Independent resources can offer another perspective, but their scope and assessment methods vary.

Bank.Green’s bank assessments focus on energy financing, rather than every aspect of a bank’s ethical or financial performance. It is an external campaigning organisation, not a Council-endorsed comparison service. This information is not financial advice or a recommendation to change provider.

Our grants and funding page is a one-stop resource for individuals, communities and businesses looking to take climate-positive action.

From waste reduction and energy efficiency to sustainable transport and wellbeing, the page showcases a range of live funding opportunities, including support for community-led environmental projects, fuel-poor households, and small businesses aiming to cut carbon.

Whether you’re planting trees, insulating homes or greening your operations, these grants are designed to help Somerset thrive in a low-carbon future.

Make Halloween less wasteful by choosing a pumpkin you can use in meals and giving costumes another outing. Borrow, swap or buy second-hand, or create an outfit from items you already own.

Plan a recipe before carving, refrigerate edible flesh promptly and use your food waste bin for scraps you can’t eat. Explore our Halloween waste-saving tips for simple pumpkin and costume ideas.

Bonfire Night can bring communities together, but smoke, noise and litter can affect wildlife and pets. Consider an organised event rather than a private display, or celebrate without fireworks or a bonfire.

Help protect hedgehogs sheltering in woodpiles, avoid releasing sky lanterns and keep celebrations free of litter. Small changes can reduce the impact on animals and the countryside.

After a hot, dry summer and little rain, how can we make our homes and gardens more drought resilient?

Start by using water efficiently and checking taps, toilets, showers, baths, appliances and boiler pipework for leaks. A persistent drip can waste between 5,000 and 15,000 litres a year, depending on its speed.

Reducing single-use packaging can start with small changes to everyday habits.

From takeaway drinks to food shopping, these 6 swaps can help you cut waste and make more use of items you already own.

This is your newsletter, and we want to hear about the great environmental work happening where you live, or what you do to make a difference every day with your brilliant eco hacks and tips.

You can make suggestions about what you would like to see more of in future editions of SEEN and have your say on previous stories and topics.

We would love to hear from you.

Get in touch at climateemergency@somerset.gov.uk.