Transcript UK approach to climate change: Impacts and adaptation

UK APPROACH TO CLIMATE
CHANGE:
IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION
Dr Penny Bramwell
Department of the Environment,
Transport and the Regions
OHP
Rationale -
why is adaptation important?

Greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere mean we will
have to adapt to some climate change

Responsibility for adaptation falls widely - not just Govt.

Costs of not adapting; long timescales; need to prioritise
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Need to engage and raise awareness
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Develop common assumptions; toolkit; guidance
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Establish mechanism for reporting and monitoring
OHP
DETR Research Programme
on Impacts and Adaptation
Funding of £1 Million p.a. including:

UK indicators of climate change

Global impacts work

Bilateral studies with developing countries

UKCIP
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Initial work on adaptation priorities
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Internal review of vulnerability of key operational
and policy responsibilities
OHP
Observations / Indicators
Extreme weather events:
e.g. floods (SE England)
Spring date of oak leafing in
relation to the av. temperature
in central England in Jan-Mar
OHP
Helping organisations adapt
UK Climate Impacts Programme

facilitating organisations to assess their vulnerability
to climate change and plan appropriate adaptation
responses

taking a stakeholder-led approach and raising
institutional awareness

developing a toolkit of climate change scenarios,
socio-economic scenarios; costing methodology; and
guidelines for decision-making and undertaking
impacts assessments
OHP
UKCIP Programme Structure
Department of the Environment,
Transport and the Regions
Steering Committee
UKCIP Programme
Office
Science Advisory
Panel
User Forum
INTEGRATION
REGIONAL / SUB-UK STUDIES
Scotlan
d
North
West
Englan
d
South
West
Englan
d
West
Midland
s
Norther
n Ireland
Wales
East
Midland
s
SECTORAL STUDIES
REGIS
South
East
Englan
d
North
East
Englan
d
Londo
n
DETR/MAF
F
MONARCH
Biodiversit
y Review
ACCELERATES
Yorkshire &
Humberside
Gardens
Health
MarCli
m
Water
Deman
d
OHP
Current status of
sub-UK studies
Scotland scoping study
completed December 1999
 Further studies started
North East England - start-up
meeting held May 2001
Northern Ireland scoping
study underway
 Scoping study to be
undertaken
Yorkshire and Humberside - startup meeting held March 2001
Scoping study initiated / underway
East Midlands scoping
study completed July
2000
Conference held
North West England scoping study
completed December 1998
Scoping study completed
 Funding being sought for next steps
Full study being considered
Gaps
Integrated assessment underway.
Coverage to be extended
West Midlands scoping study
underway
 Scoping study to be undertaken.
Study output
Wales scoping study completed
February 2000
Further work needed
 Funding being sought to
implement next steps.
South West England conferences held December 1999
(Cornwall) and January 2001 (Cheltenham). Funders for scoping
study coming forward. Scoping study to be undertaken
 Study to be completed
REGIS study
underway in North
West England and
East Anglia - to be
completed early 2001
Eastern region study
at inception
 Gaps in Eastern
England regional
coverage to be filled.
London start-up meeting
summer 2001
South East England scoping study completed
November 1999.
Move to extend area - meeting March 2001
 Gaps in regional coverage to be filled.
OHP
Consortium of key decision-makers formed
UK Climate Impacts Programme
UKCIP facilitated stakeholder workshop identify key study issues
Stakeholder consultation
Steering Group
Scoping study
UKCIP tool-kit /
guidance
Launch of results and workshop to identify next steps and
priorities for detailed work
OHP
Funders of UKCIP studies
The Scottish Executive, National Assembly for Wales, Department of the Environment Northern
Ireland, Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service, Acordis, Arkleton Trust, Association of
British Insurers, AXA Insurance, Blaby District Council, Boston District Council, Carlton TV, CCMS Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Cheshire County Council, Cornwall County Council, Country Life
Magazine, Countryside Agency, Countryside Council for Wales, Department of Health, Derbyshire
County Council DETR Wildlife and Countryside Directorate, Dúchas The Heritage Service, National
Parks and Wildlife (Republic of Ireland), Duchy of Cornwall, East Midlands Airport, East Midlands
Link, English Nature, Environment Agency, Farming and Rural Conservation Agency, Government
Offices for the East Midlands, North West England, South East England, South West England and
West Midlands, Hampshire County Council, Kent County Council, Lancashire County Council,
Leicestershire County Council, MAFF, Manchester Airport, Marsh UK Ltd, Midlands Environment
Business Club, The National Trust, The National Trust for Scotland, NatWest Bank, North West
Regional Association, North West Regional Chamber, North West Water, Northamptonshire County
Council, Nottinghamshire County Council, Peak District National Park, PROSPER, Rolls Royce plc,
The Royal Horticultural Society, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Scottish Natural Heritage,
Severn Trent Water, South West Water, Surrey County Council, Surrey Wildlife Trust, Sustainability
North West, SWEB, SWEL, Tarmac plc, Thames Water, Toyota UK, TXU Europe Power Ltd,
UKWIR,University of Exeter, University of Plymouth, Wessex Water, West Sussex County
Council, Westcountry Television, Westcountry Tourist Board, Wilkinson and WWF-UK.
OHP
UK Adaptation Priorities

Commissioned independent research to identify UK priorities for
action on adaptation; workshop held with key decision makers

Adaptation priorities:
 Water resources management
 Coastal and riverine flood protection
 Enhanced resilience of buildings and infrastructure
 Protection of designated species and habitats
 Land use and sectoral planning
 Better climate information
 Need for awareness raising
OHP
UK Adaptation Priorities
UK Climate Change Programme (Nov 2000) explains the impacts
of climate change on the UK & how we might adapt to them
Initiated debate on strategic adaptation priorities at a national
level ongoing - but initial feedback suggests:

broad consensus on the adaptation priorities at a sectoral level

debate welcomed; but emphasised that more was urgently
required to fully understand the implications

wide-support for the stakeholder-led approach that the
Government was taking on adaptation & through UKCIP

need for better predictions and data
OHP
Internal Review of Vulnerability

Internal assessment of the vulnerability of key
policy and operational responsibilities to climate
change
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Hope to encourage others to undertake similar
assessments
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raise profile of adaptation
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alert decision-makers scale and potential costs
implied by adaptation
OHP
Specific Government Action on
Adaptation

25 year water resources and drought plans from water
companies
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promoting efficient use of water (inc. new Water Regs)
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incorporated SLR allowance into coastal defences
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£100m programme to improve flood warning services
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commenced development of CHaMPS which include
consideration of sea level rise
OHP
Specific Government Action on
Adaptation
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strengthening planning guidance in flood plain areas
to advise precautionary risk-based approach
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started to consider the huge implications of c.c. for the
planning process (best practice guide)
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supported agri-environment schemes which will help
maintain and enhance biodiversity in the countryside
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taken action to strengthen protection of SSSIs

begun to consider implications for Building Regs
OHP
Planned New Work
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‘No Regrets’ measures
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More detailed regional work within UKCIP (matching
funding from regions)
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Higher profile meetings with other Government
departments and key interest groups

New UKCIP scenarios - giving greater spatial detail
and more information on extremes; targeted guidance

Input into the Third National Communication
OHP
Other Approaches

Bilateral meetings and presentations (by climate
experts) - with those with some vulnerability and
decision-making responsibilities

Raising awareness of the need to consider the
importance of factoring the UKCIP98/02 scenarios in
planning and other policy guidance
OHP
Conclusion
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Still at early stages
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Fast moving issue
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Floods and other extreme events putting climate
change in the public eye

Need to develop awareness without scare-mongering
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Need a co-ordinated approach to risk-based decisionmaking

Need a common framework: tool-kit approach
OHP