Climate change adaptation scale - strategic/catchment scale climate change adaptation
A key point to remember when considering this scale of adaptation is that the impacts of climate change for each risk area are not generally confined to your local authority boundaries. It may, therefore, be helpful to consider strategic adaptation at a regional or sub-regional level too.
High temperatures vary by geographical location and between urban and rural areas (the urban heat island effect). Likewise biodiversity. Flooding and water availability will be influenced more by catchment, while land stability will depend heavily on soil types. You could identify a different policy for each, based on the evidence base. The list below is not exhaustive, though it should be a useful guide.
High temperatures. Your policy around high temperatures will need to reflect the latest climate projections (UKCP09) and you should consider how they can influence core strategy policies. Issues you should think about include;
- Green infrastructure strategies, including strategic parks and green grids which are important in managing temperatures at the scale of the conurbation
- Blue (water) space strategies
- Cooling through urban morphology and orientation of streets
See AD1 Managing high temperatures for more detail.
Flooding and sea level rise. Here, your policy should consider:
- Strategic flood risk assessment (PPS25), including any need for managed retreat or realignment. This should include consideration of removing or remodelling existing sea defences where this will have wider benefits
- Flood attenuation and temporary, potentially multifunctional, storage capacity
- Upland land management through storage and planting to reduce runoff
- How flood pathways through urban areas function to help manage the likelihood of flooding
- Hard defences and barriers or diversion of flood flows away from vulnerable areas
- Strategic planning of sustainable drainage networks
See AD2 Managing flood risk for more detail.
Water availability and quality. Your policy in this area will need to consider how changes in rainfall patterns will affect water in the future. You should think about how the policy can influence:
- Provision of upland and lowland reservoirs to help ensure sufficient supplies all year round. Storage also has an important flood management function
- Treated waste water may be used for irrigation
- Constraints mapping should identify where priority areas are for setting tighter water efficiency standards and abstraction controls
- Strategic planning of separate surface, foul and drinking water systems. Directing surface water back into watercourses can reduce the treatment requirements and keep water levels higher in dry spells
See AD3 Managing water availability and quality for more detail.
Land stability. Your thinking in this policy area will be determined largely by soil types. Where supported by your evidence base, your policy should consider:
- Coastal erosion risk based on soil types
- Landslide risk and the need for management, e.g. vegetation or agricultural systems management
See AD4 Managing ground conditions for more details.
Biodiversity. Your policy around biodiversity will need to reflect the likely impacts of climate change on species of flora and fauna for which there is evidence. Your policy-making should consider the type of green and blue infrastructure you might need to provide in order to deliver appropriate habitats, bearing in mind likely future species movement.
