ENERGY leaders and green campaigners today urged the region to address the issue of climate change before it is too late.

Julian Carter, chief executive of Renewables North West, says last year's heatwave and recent floods are a 'wake up call' and radical action is needed to stop climate change killing business and tearing through the natural landscapes of the North West.

He said: "Europe is heating up and we have already started to witness how dramatic the effect of this could be. Unless we get wise with how we use energy and start investing in renewable energy technologies, the future looks very bleak."

Renewables North West predict that by the year 2080 the North West will have temperatures equivalent to present-day Rome of 34 degrees Celsius and a 30 to 50 per cent reduction in rainfall.

Warmer temperatures and fewer frosts will also increase the number of natural pests and diseases.