Climate Change Adaptation in the UK
The Climate Change Act 2008 provides a legal framework for ensuring that Government meets its commitments to tackle climate change.
The Act introduces legally binding carbon budgets, sets up the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) as an independent body as well as the Adaptation Sub Committee (ASC) and requires, on a five year cycle, the publication of a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) and the presentation to Parliament of an adaptation programme to respond to the risks identified.
Committee on Climate Change
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) was established under the Climate Change Act to advise the Government on emissions targets, to report to Parliament on progress made in reducing greenhouse gas emissions towards reaching UK targets and provide advice to the Devolved Administrations on climate change.
Following on from the adoption of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act in August 2009, the Committee were asked to advise Scottish Minsters on issues relating to the climate change targets in the Act. The Scottish Report
The Adaptation Sub-Committee (ASC)
The Adaptation Sub-Committee was set by the Committee on Climate Change to provide expert advice and scrutiny of the Government's programme for adaptation in order to help prepare the UK for the impacts of climate change. Key responsibilities include providing expert advice and scrutiny. The ASC will through the CCC ensure that the Government’s programme for adaptation enables the UK to prepare effectively for the impacts of climate change. In the event of a Scottish climate change advisory body being established, this function would revert to the Scottish body.
The ASC Work Plan has three main objectives:
- To scrutinise the development of the first Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA), which will be produced during 2009-2011.
- To assess the preparedness of the UK to meet climate change risks and opportunities.
- To promote effective adaptation actions by society as a whole.
The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA)
The Climate Change Act 2008 requires the publication of a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) each five years. The UK Government published the first assessment of the impacts the UK is facing from climate change in January 2012. The Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) presents the latest evidence on the threats and opportunities of climate change for the UK to the end of the century. The CCRA consists of a number of reports, including 'a Climate Change Risk Assessment for Scotland'. A summary of the Scotland report is also available.
Under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act, Scottish Ministers are required to develop an adaptation programme to address the risks identified for Scotland in the CCRA and work on this is now underway. In the meantime, the Climate Change Adaptation Framework and the accompanying Sector Action Plans continue to build resilience and capacity to adapt to climate changes in Scotland.
Read more about the CCRA and the work which has been undertaken in Scotland.
Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution – Adapting institutions to climate change.
In March 2010, the Commission published its report on Adapting Institutions to Climate Change. Identifying that there was an ‘urgent need to understand how UK institutions should adapt to climate change and initiate actions to build adaptive capacity. The report explores the challenges facing institutions in adapting to climate change’.
10 for starter – big questions to ask
The RCEP report suggests a set of 10 questions to help organisations to consider and develop adaptation actions:
1. Have you identified the possible range of impacts of climate change on the activities and responsibilities of your institution or business, and their timescales?
2. Do you understand the nature of, and the limitations in, the climate projections in UKCP09?
3. Do you understand that adaptation to climate change is an open-ended process, not a single action that will solve your problems or reduce your risks?
4. Have you framed the questions and issues to be addressed adequately, so as to avoid tackling the wrong problem, or making matters worse? Do you understand how the risks posed by climate change interact with, and might change, the other risks your organisation has to respond to?
5. Have you identified options for adaptation, and devised flexible plans and strategies that can deal with uncertainty?
6. Are you embedding consideration of adaptation into your core business? Is there the right accountability for actions at the most senior levels of your organisation?
7. Are the objectives and aims of your institution fit for purpose in a changing world? Are you aware of the powers and duties affecting your institution?
8. Who are the significant other stakeholders (including members of the public) with whom you need to interact to deliver adaptation? Are there barriers (perceived or real) that might make collaboration difficult? How do you plan to negotiate these barriers?
9. Do you have mechanisms in place to listen and respond to alternative views on the ways of dealing with climate change, new ways of thinking, and ways of evaluating the success of past actions in relation to climate change?
10. Do your organisation’s planning and investment cycles allow for new insights and information about climate change to be taken into account?