Climate change projections show that increases in global temperatures would make for drier summers and wetter winters.

The impact of such changes could be catastrophic - particularly for the most vulnerable and least well off in Bolton, says Cllr Martin McMulkin.

Cllr McMulkin was offered Labour's shadow Climate Champion role before he left the party, and also suggested that infrastructure and industries such a farming – which has been described as on the front line against climate change - could be adversly affected.

He said: “The recent extreme heat we experienced put the elderly and those with long term health conditions at immediate risk.

“The effects of crop failure, such as food shortages will push prices up just as we are currently seeing because of the war in Ukraine. Again, those with the least will be hit hardest.

“Our underfunded infrastructure and public transport will not cope which impacts everyone."

The following analysis and projections have been collated by the BBC, and the data refers to a 12km-square grid – 7.5 mile-square – from Bolton town centre.

In Bolton there were an average of two days above 25C per month in summer over the last 30 years. If global temperatures rise by 2C that number could be four days, and with a 4C rise there could be 9 days – almost five times as many.

In the past 30 years there were 13 rainy days on average per month in summer in Bolton. If global average temperatures rise by 2C, this could be 12 days per month. At a 4C rise it could be about 9 days, meaning significantly less rainfall in the summer months.

In winter there were 15 rainy days on average per month over the last 30 years. At both 2C and 4C rises, the number of rainy days per month could be roughly the same, however these wet days are likely to be much wetter.

On the wettest winter day of the past 30 years, 47mm of rain fell in Bolton, but with a 2C rise this could be about 48mm and a 4C rise it could be about 58mm – 22 per cent more than now.

The changing climate might not seem so drastic, but it will make extreme weather events such as heatwaves and heavy downpours likely to become more frequent and more intense, something that has scientists worried.

"I think it’s really frightening,” said Dr Lizzie Kendon, a senior Met Office scientist. “It's just a wake-up call really as to what we’re talking about here.”

It also increases the risk of wildfires, some of which we have recently seen in the region, and flooding.

The Bolton News: Cllr Martin McMulkinCllr Martin McMulkin

Cllr McMulkin has suggested a number of changes to everyone’s habits might go a long way to reducing the impacts of climate change, however.

“What we can do as individual citizens is to do what many are already doing - eat less meat and dairy, leave the car at home, reduce your energy use, respect and protect green spaces, invest your money responsibly, cut consumption and recycle as much as possible,” he said.

“Then all of us must hold our politicians to account and demand that they act now. Here in Bolton the council moved a climate emergency and now have a strategy to get to net zero by 2030. We can all play a part in making that happen.”

Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Kwasi Kwarteng on the release of the government's 'Net Zero Strategy: Build Back Greener' strategy last year said: "Now is the time the world needs to go further and faster to tackle climate change. The UK is stepping up to that challenge.

"Here we set out our ambitious strategy – the first of its kind in the world of a major economy - to create new jobs, develop new industries with innovative new technologies and become a more energy secure nation with clean green British energy.

"At the same time we will reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the economy to reach net zero by 2050."