BRITISH adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes opened a conference on climate change in Taunton this week.

The conference, hosted by the Somerset Strategic Partnership, included top decision makers from across the county and motivational speakers.

Sir Ranulph discussed the global issues of climate change, saying: “In my 40 years of expedition the climate has affected the ice and snow.

“Most people don’t realise, but if exploration involves travelling from A to B over ice you become inevitably involved in it.

“You’re pushing a sledge, and you can see the immediate effects and actions of climate change.”

In a packed Somerset County Cricket Club up to 150 people listened to experts and att-ended workshops.

The chairman of the SSP, Lord Ewen Cam-eron, said: “Climate change is a really important issue, we may have a banking crisis and a world recession, but climate change is more important and more long-lasting.

“We need to address the problem from a community perspective as well as from a business and worldwide perspective.

“There are enormous dangers for a low-lying county like Somerset, but we could be part of the solution.”

There were also talks from Woking and Eastleigh Borough Councils on what they are doing to tackle climate change.