Memorandum submitted by Scotland &
Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER)
SNIFFER identifies and manages research with
the aim to increase knowledge to help protect our environment
and improve quality of life. We do this through an evidence based
approach to gathering and disseminating information.
The key components of what we provide are:
— research management and coordination;
— knowledge exchange; and
1. How can central government best support
and encourage local authorities, regional government and devolved
administrations to take action on mitigation and adaptation, and
other climate change related areas like waste and transport? What
funding, powers, and structures are required to improve joined
up delivery of climate change policy at all levels of government?
2. Is there clarity about the role played
by local authorities, regional governments and devolved administrations
in tackling climate change? How can their actions be coordinated
and monitored? How can the accountability and transparency of
the response at a local level be improved? How effective has the
Nottingham Declaration process been?
3. What, if anything, needs to be changed
in the framework governing the actions of devolved administrations,
regional government and local authorities? For example, does there
need to be a more explicit reference to climate change in the
local government performance framework and will the new performance
indicators on climate change be enough to stimulate action?
4. To what extent should there be disaggregated
targets for different levels of government? How should independent
targets, for example Scotland will set its own emissions target
for 2050 (80% reduction rather than UK target of 60%) and the
Greater London Authority has committed itself to making a 60%
cut by 2030, fit together with national carbon targets and budgets?
How can Government monitoring and forecasting of emissions be
improved so as to disaggregate emissions, and the impact of carbon
reduction policies, in different regions and nations?
Further resources need to be allocated to allow
refinement and development of the disaggregated GHG emissions
inventories. For example, in Scotland the "Scotland's Share"
approach has been taken to considering, measuring and projecting
emissions. This approach differs in some extent to the methodology
being trialled in other areas of the UK such as Northern Ireland
and the approach being explored in Wales.
Whilst the Devolved Administrations are liaising
with Whitehall over monitoring and forecasting work, further opportunities
for co-ordination could be explored by the additional input of
UK government resources.
5. How advanced and co-ordinated are local,
regional and national programmes of adaptation to climate change?
What support is there for adaptation? How vulnerable to climate
change are local authorities, regional government and devolved
administrations?
The Scottish Government's National Adaptation
Programme is in the early stages of development, with anticipation
growing regarding the launch of a public consultation on the Scottish
Adaptation Strategy expected in February 2008.
In advance of this adaptation work the Scotland
& Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER)
has been contributing to research, knowledge exchange and awareness
raising activities in the field of Climate Change Adaptation since
2001:
1. SNIFFER—Climate Change Adaptation
Research:
— The business risks of climate change
to public sector organisations.
— Survey of climate change activities
for local authorities (2004).
— Handbook of Climate Trends across
Scotland (2006).
— Preparing for a Changing Climate
in Northern Ireland (2007).
2. SNIFFER—Climate Change Adaptation
Activities:
— Awareness raising workshops for Scottish
Local Authorities on Climate Change Impacts.
— Integrating Scotland's data requirements
into upcoming Climate Change Scenarios for UK.
— Publishing partnership research on
climate change risks.
— Highlighting adaptation activities
within UK Adaptation Policy Framework.
3. SNIFFER—provide secretariat for
Scotland Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SCCIP):
SCCIP is an initiative commissioned by Scottish
Government to bring together stakeholders in Scotland to collectively
address and prepare for the impacts of climate change, and provides
a research and knowledge management service. The vision for SCCIP
is to "increase the resilience of organisations and infrastructure
in Scotland to meet the challenges and opportunities presented
by the impacts of climate change".
Members of the SCCIP Development Group include
representatives of Scottish Government, Scottish Environment Protection
Agency, UK Climate Impacts Programme and the Sustainable Scotland
Network.
4. SCCIP outcomes to date:
— Awareness raising workshops for Scottish
Local Authorities on Climate Change Impacts (May 2006).
— Integrating Scotland's data requirements
into upcoming Climate Change Scenarios for UK (ongoing input to
UKCIP08 users group).
— Highlighting adaptation activities
within UK Adaptation Policy Framework.
— Launch and maintenance of SCCIP website
www.sccip.org.uk
— Research project for Local Authorities—climate
change mitigation and adaptation tools (November 2007).
— Contributing to the Local Authority
Climate Change Declaration Support Group, and forthcoming Action
Plan, as led by Sustainable Scotland Network, in support of Scotland's
Local Authorities meeting the commitments set out in the above
Scotland's Climate Change Declaration.
5. SCCIP—current work programme:
The work programme for 2007-08 has a strong
focus on providing support and tools to stakeholder interests
across Scotland. Key adaptation projects include:
— Local Climate Impacts Profiles for
Local Authorities.
— Training courses on UKCIP08 Climate
Change scenarios.
— Further engagement with sectors this
year to identify their support and capacity building needs.
6. How should the Committee on Climate Change
reflect the interests and needs of the different levels of government
across the UK?
The Committee on Climate Change requires an
open and accountable process for selection of committee members
to ensure fair and appropriate representation across the different
levels of government across the whole of the UK.
7. What are the barriers to greater local
or regional action? Do the different levels of government have
sufficient powers to take action? What changes in policy are needed
to support action at a local level? What policies are working
well?
8. What impact will the new Planning Policy
Statement on climate change have on emissions reductions and work
on adaptation? How are the so called "Merton rules"
affected? How might other planning guidance be changed to reduce
emissions?
9. Are local authorities meeting their duty
to enforce building regulations in relation to environmental measures?
Does the enforcement regime discourage non-compliance?
10. What good practice is there to be shared?
How is best practice shared and does central government support
for sharing best practice work? What role should UK Climate Impacts
Programme, IDeA, Salix Finance, the Carbon Trust and Energy Savings
Trust play in providing support?
21 December 2007
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