Adaptation: Drivers for action
National Drivers
The Climate Change Act creates a framework for adaptation in the UK. It introduces a legal obligation to carry out a national risk assessment and lay before Parliament a programme for adaptation in 2012. Good policy has its foundations in a robust evidence base, of which the national Climate Change Risk Assessment will be a key component.
The Government considers the goal of the Adapting to Climate Change Programme to be ‘sustainable adaptation’. Other legislation also recognises the importance of building resilience against climate change. For example:
- The Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009) will help ensure the sustainable development of the marine and coastal environment.
- The Civil Contingencies Act (2004) requires local and regional authorities to design detailed plans for natural disasters caused by climate change.
- The Local Government Act (2000) introduced the Power of Wellbeing and will be an important tool enabling local authorities to respond to climate change.
- The Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act (2009) introduces a single Regional Strategy in England, strengthens the rights of communities over local service provision and requires policy to address climate change.
- Flood and Water Management Bill will ensure better protection for homes, communities and businesses from the risk of extreme weather as a result of climate change
The UK Climate Projections 2009 provides a diverse set of outputs relating to climate and marine projections and are key in helping to improve communication and adaptation planning.
Regional coordination
In recognition of the role of regional and local authorities in delivering adaptation and the vast number of organisational bodies this involves, the Local and Regional Adaptation Partnership has been established to coordinate action until 2011. Each English region and Devolved Administration has a Regional Climate Change Partnership, which brings together local stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors to address climate change adaptation. A significant amount of autonomous adaptation is planned or already taking place at the regional and local levels. The RCCP is an important forum to capture these contributions and ensure that they are informed by a clear understanding of the projected effects of climate change for the specific region. Find out more about Climate South West click here
Local action
In 2008 the Government introduced an adapting to climate change indicator (NI188) in the new Local Government Performance Framework, recognising the pivotal role local authorities play in delivering adaptation. This is the main driver for adaptation at the local level. Even if a local authority doesn't have NI188 as one of the top 35 indicators in its Local Area Agreement, all are required to report on progress against all indicators as part of the Audit Commission's Comprehensive Area Assessment.
NI188 seeks to encourage progress in terms of managing climate risks and opportunities across the all levels of services, plans and estates. NI188 is a process indicator which gauges progress of a local area to:
- Assess the risks and opportunities comprehensively across the area;
- Take action in any identified priority areas;
- Develop an adaptation strategy and action plan setting out the risk assessment, where the priority areas are – where necessary in consultation & exhibiting leadership of local partners - what action is being taken to address these, and how risks will be continually assessed and monitored in the future; and
- Implement, assess and monitor the actions on an ongoing basis.
For more information, refer to the section on monitoring and reviewing.
