Annex A: UK Comments on Aspects of the White Paper
Health and Social Systems
1. The Government agrees that adaptation to climate
change needs to be integrated into the delivery of social programmes
and policy at EU, national and local level, and welcomes the recognition
that the main policy actions should be taken at Member State level.
It will shortly be developing a national Climate Change Risk Assessment,
which will include consideration of the impacts on vulnerable
groups and distributional impacts.
2. It agrees that links with the World Health
Organisation (WHO) should be explored, and notes that a WHO-European
Strategy on climate change, which includes suggestions of a clearing
house mechanism, is currently being drafted. However, it observes
that the White Paper makes very little mention of the health effects
of climate change or the health co-benefits of adaptation policies,
and that it does not recognise the link between human and animal
health. Nevertheless, it welcomes the recognition of the impact
that a changing climate will have on animal health, and says that
constant monitoring is important to understand emerging animal
diseases, it being important that Member States should work together
in providing and sharing knowledge.
3. The Government notes that the UK's planning
policy framework sets out approaches to the assessment of risks
including flooding and coastal erosion, and is implementing a
risk based approach to development, with emphasis on mitigation
and adaptation.
4. The Government welcomes the recognition that
changes in the climate will impact on employment, and that it
is important, not only to identify any negative impacts, but also
to highlight and plan for the positive opportunities which
may also arise.
Agriculture and Forests
5. The Government welcomes recognition that agriculture
has a significant role in adapting to climate change, noting that
farmers in England look after around three quarters of the land,
with around 50,000 of them now being part of Environmental Stewardship
Schemes. It notes that changing climate will require land to be
managed so as to secure long term environmental sustainability,
but points out that CAP is not the only — or necessarily
the best — tool to achieve this, and it therefore welcomes
the recognition that its contribution should be examined within
the context of the EU Budget Review. It also believes that the
important role played by agricultural land, labour and capital
markets needs to be recognised.
6. The Government recognises that, in light of
the long time frame of the forestry cycle, early action on adaptation
is essential, and points out that the ecosystem services provided
by forests are reflected in the EU Forest Action plan, which the
White Paper proposes could provide the framework for a debate
on an EU approach on protection and information systems for forests.
Biodiversity, ecosystems and water
7. The Government recognises the importance of
biodiversity, and says that climate change brings into sharp focus
the need to adopt an increasingly dynamic approach to conservation.
It notes that the White Paper focuses on rivers, marine and coastal
issues, and touches on the Natura 2000 network, and suggests a
need for biodiversity to be considered more widely when looking
at the actions in relation to adaptation to climate change.
8. The Government will be fully implementing
the Water Framework Directive (WFD) in accordance with the timetable
laid down, and believes that both water scarcity and drought can
be handled adequately under the River Basin Planning Framework.
It adds that the Environment Agency has developed Catchment Abstraction
Management Strategies which provide a consistent and structured
approach to local water resource management, and that these are
complemented by the resource management plans which all water
companies in England and Wales have been required to produce since
1 April 2007.
9. The Government considers that action at Community
level has an important role to play in supporting a more effective
and informed market in water efficient appliances and fittings,
thereby helping to inform and change household behaviour. The
UK has already welcomed the Commission's proposals for a review
of the EU energy label for dishwashers and washing machines and
for standards for these products via the Framework Directive for
the Eco-Design for Energy Using Products, and it is encouraging
the Commission to include maximum water consumption standards
for dishwashers and to consider the scope for including other
water-using products within its proposals for eco-design requirements
under the Integrated Product Policy Framework.
10. In the meantime, the Government is taking
action to promote the production and uptake of water efficiency
products, including the setting of minimum performance standards
for key products; the development of a scheme for enhanced capital
allowances for businesses investing in designated water efficient
products; and the development of a UK voluntary Water Efficiency
Labelling Scheme. It is also taking action to improve the water
efficiency of new buildings, with minimum water efficiency standards
for all new homes due to be introduced from 1 October 2009.
11. The Government is proposing to transpose
the Floods Directive, including the criteria for determining potential
significant risk, the scope and content of flood maps and plans,
and an extension of the existing flood risk management policy
in England to include local flood sources such as surface water,
groundwater and reservoirs. It also intends to invest in flood
and coastal erosion risk management, and to manage those risks
so as to reduce the threat to people and property; and it is working
closely with its operating authorities to achieve this. Adapting
to climate change is a key objective, which is being achieved
through better land use, planning, development of property resilience
measures, and in supporting communities to adapt to climate change
to overcome flood and coastal impacts.
Coastal and marine areas
12. Whilst the Government acknowledges the potentially
significant impacts of climate change on the coastal and marine
environment and economy, its knowledge and understanding of these
is still developing, and the Marine Climate Change Impacts Partnership
has been set up to bring together scientists, government, its
agencies and NGOs. The UK is in the early stages of implementing
the aim in the Marine Strategy Framework Directive of achieving
good environmental status in its marine waters, and should in
the process be able to take account of the growing understanding
of the impacts of climate change.
13. The Government also supports of the Commission's
approach to Integrated Coastal Zone Management, which will be
reflected in the UK-wide Marine Policy Statement proposed under
the Marine and Coastal Access Bill, and the Bill also supports
the Commission's approach to Maritime Spatial Planning. Marine
planning will be used to ensure a sustainable approach to development
in the marine and coastal area, and will address and consider
all aspects of sustainable development.
14. The Government is proactively involved in
the current reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP), and supports
the goal of securing the long-term sustainability of European
fisheries. It is particularly keen to secure equal prominence
between the CFP and wider marine environmental policies such as
the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.
Production systems and physical infrastructure
15. The Government recognises that climate change
is likely to affect production systems and infrastructure, and
that, as recognised in the Planning Act 2008, there is a need
to ensure that new and existing infrastructure is resilient to
the potential long term impacts. The Government is already taking
action to achieve an effective transport system, designed and
maintained to be resilient to future climate impacts. and is committed
to using the Act in a risk based, targeted and efficient way.
Officials are also currently exploring the impact on the telecoms
sector of the reporting requirements under the Climate Change
Act 2008, and standards and guidance addressing sustainability,
including climate change and adaptation, have already been developed,
as have Eurocodes for the design of construction work.
International adaptation
16. The Government says that the priority at
the UNFCCC meeting in Copenhagen will be a comprehensive agreement
to mobilise the international community to take action on climate
change, and it welcomes the commitment to stepping up efforts
to integrate adaptation to climate change into the Community's
external polices.
Financing
17. The Government notes that the White Paper
suggests that both the EU and Member States examine the potential
use of innovative funding measures for adaptation, but says that
there are no indications of what is meant by this. It says that
it has consistently opposed the hypothecation of auction revenues
under the Emissions Trading Scheme, but notes that, under the
new Directive, Member States have made non-legally binding commitments
to spend at least half of the revenues from auctioning (or the
equivalent) to tackle climate change both within the Community
and in developing countries. The Government is content with this
approach, which it believes will provide a strong signal of the
Community's willingness to invest in a low carbon economy and
offer support to the international community ahead of the negotiations
in Copenhagen.
18. On the use of insurance and other financial
service products, it notes that the UK is unusual in having a
statement of principles, which ensures that flood insurance is
widely available and protects Government from stepping in as insurer
of last resort in the event of a flood.
19. As part of a reprioritised EC Budget, the
UK could envisage additional spending on climate change adaptation,
but believes that future EC expenditure should be examined as
part of the Budget Review.
Security
20. The Government notes that the EU High Representative
has started looking at what climate security will mean for
the Community, and says that it recognises the potential significance
of the security implications of climate change, adding that the
National Security Strategy in March 2008 identified this as "potentially
the greatest threat to global stability and security". The
Ministry of Defence published its climate change strategy, in
December 2008 setting out the process by which it will factor
climate change into policy planning, estate development and equipment
procurement.
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