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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. Rationale - w hy is adaptation important?. Greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere mean we will have to adapt to some climate change

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UK APPROACH TO CLIMATE CHANGE: IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION

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  1. UK APPROACH TO CLIMATE CHANGE:IMPACTS AND ADAPTATION Dr Penny BramwellDepartment of the Environment,Transport and the Regions

  2. 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 • Need to engage and raise awareness • Develop common assumptions; toolkit; guidance • Establish mechanism for reporting and monitoring

  3. DETR Research Programmeon Impacts and Adaptation Funding of £1 Million p.a. including: UK indicators of climate change Global impacts work Bilateral studies with developing countries UKCIP Initial work on adaptation priorities Internal review of vulnerability of key operational and policy responsibilities

  4. Observations / Indicators Spring date of oak leafing in relation to the av. temperature in central England in Jan-Mar Extreme weather events: e.g. floods (SE England)

  5. 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

  6. REGIS 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 SECTORAL STUDIES Scotland Wales Northern Ireland South East England DETR/MAFF Health MONARCH South West England North West England North East England Biodiversity Review ACCEL-ERATES West Midlands East Midlands London Yorkshire & Humberside Gardens MarClim Water Demand

  7. Current status ofsub-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 - start-up meeting held March 2001 Scoping study initiated / underway • East Midlands scoping study completed July 2000 • Study to be completed Conference held • North West England scoping study completed December 1998 • Funding being sought for next steps • Full study being considered Scoping study 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. Gaps Integrated assessment underway. Coverage to be extended • West Midlands scoping study underway • Scoping study to be undertaken. • Wales scoping study completed February 2000 • Funding being sought to implement next steps. Study output Further work needed London start-up meeting summer 2001 South West England conferences held December 1999 (Cornwall) and January 2001 (Cheltenham). Funders for scoping study coming forward. Scoping study to be undertaken • South East England scoping study completed November 1999. • Move to extend area - meeting March 2001 • Gaps in regional coverage to be filled.

  8. Consortium of key decision-makers formed UK Climate Impacts Programme UKCIP facilitated stakeholder workshop - identify key study issues Stakeholder consultation UKCIP tool-kit / guidance Scoping study Steering Group Launch of results and workshop to identify next steps and priorities for detailed work

  9. 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.

  10. 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

  11. 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

  12. Internal Review of Vulnerability • Internal assessment of the vulnerability of key policy and operational responsibilities to climate change • Hope to encourage others to undertake similar assessments • raise profile of adaptation • alert decision-makers scale and potential costs implied by adaptation

  13. Specific Government Action on Adaptation 25 year water resources and drought plans from water companies promoting efficient use of water (inc. new Water Regs) incorporated SLR allowance into coastal defences £100m programme to improve flood warning services commenced development of CHaMPS which include consideration of sea level rise

  14. Specific Government Action on Adaptation strengthening planning guidance in flood plain areas to advise precautionary risk-based approach started to consider the huge implications of c.c. for the planning process (best practice guide) supported agri-environment schemes which will help maintain and enhance biodiversity in the countryside taken action to strengthen protection of SSSIs begun to consider implications for Building Regs

  15. Planned New Work ‘No Regrets’ measures More detailed regional work within UKCIP (matching funding from regions) 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

  16. 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

  17. Conclusion Still at early stages Fast moving issue Floods and other extreme events putting climate change in the public eye Need to develop awareness without scare-mongering Need a co-ordinated approach to risk-based decision-making Need a common framework: tool-kit approach

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