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Local, regional and devolved government all have distinctive roles to play in tackling climate change. A step change in the level of activity is needed at all levels and the Government has put in place a number of changes in the policy framework and performance management of local government that should help to bring this about. Having a coherent and co-ordinated approach to climate change policy from the centre will help, especially when balancing short-term economic pressures with longer-term questions about sustainable development. It is too early to say how effective the new performance management framework will be but the early indications are good. It will be vital to get the right targets in place to deliver the kind of action needed on both mitigation and adaptation.
The Nottingham Declaration, and its Scottish and Welsh equivalents, has been useful in raising awareness but more could be done to make sure that public commitments result in action. Spreading best practice and providing advice and guidance are also important. Making carbon impact assessments part of the decision making process could throw light on some of the issues around longer-term sustainability questions, particularly in relation to investment and planning decisions. The climate change agenda is a challenging one, especially for local authorities, and will depend on having people with the right skills and knowledge in place. Advice is available from a number of sources but the capacity of local authorities to respond is limited; the Government will need to think about how skills gaps are addressed and what support is needed.
A great deal of attention is being paid to efforts to reduce emissions; much less is paid to adaptation. Even if we are successful in reducing emissions we will face changes in our climate and much more needs to be done to prepare for these. The Government will bring forward a national framework on adaptation; it will need to ensure that greater attention is paid to adaptation at all levels of government in the UK.
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