Memoranda submitted by England's Regional Development Agencies (ACC13)

 

Environmental Audit Committee - Inquiry on Climate Change Adaptation

 

Introduction

England's Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) welcome the opportunity to respond to this enquiry. We have provided responses to a number of select areas where the RDAs have experience. The East of England Development Agency are responding on behalf of the RDA network in light of our lead role on Defra issues.

 

This response also highlights the range of work that RDAs are undertaking on the climate change adaptation agenda (see Annex 1 attached) and also sets out examples of RDA work on a low carbon economy and business and development (including retrofitting) (see Annex 2 below), for your information.

 

Role of the RDAs

1. As experts on our regional economies, the RDAs recognise the importance of preparing for the resilient implications as well as the business opportunities that climate change will bring. For many years, The RDAs have been working hard with our national and regional partners on tackling climate change and would emphasise the importance of having a regional overview of climate change adaptation activity. The RDAs are currently working with Government on the New Industry New Jobs agenda helping to identify and prepare for greater investment in emerging sectors ( including Low carbon buildings) to drive the economy out of recession.

 

2. The RDAs have 10 years experience of developing regional strategies and believe that the single regional strategies should be the main strategy for addressing climate change adaptation. For example, Yorkshire Forward and Local Government for Yorkshire and Humber are currently taking joint responsibility for the development of the region's Integrated Regional Strategy (IRS) where climate change adaptation is being addressed within the Climate Change and Environmental Resources work stream.

 

3. All RDAs undertake a variety of activities. These include supporting and working with regional climate change partnerships; developing innovative research and regional intelligence; regenerating places with sustainable design and construction at the core; linking researchers with businesses to develop new products; supporting businesses to develop innovative technologies to help with climate change adaptation (CCA); and ensuring

businesses receive the right support to help them adapt to new risks and threats.

 

 

What RDAs need from Government

4. RDAs welcome the inclusion of a strong regional dimension to the national Climate Change Risk Assessment and are working very closely with Defra on this. By building on the findings of the UK Climate Projections and regional work that has already been undertaken, this work will provide us with valuable evidence that can be used to make further progress at both the regional and national levels.

 

5. Support and training will be a key influence on how well businesses engage with adaptation. The current Defra-led Projections in Practice events being held in each region are already highlighting that more attention needs to be given to training and capacity building for key professions.

 

6. In our view, climate change adaption issues are still dominated by terminology which does little to engage people and communicate the key messages. In addition, the probabilistic projections need to become more user-friendly to help improve understanding and facilitate action.

 

7. More effective communication across businesses is also needed. A useful approach to consider, for example, could be for some of the larger and more aware businesses to help engage SMEs. Increased emphasis and support that would enable businesses to assist each other is likely to be more productive than Government/Local Government telling businesses how and why to adapt. As the RDAs play a key role in delivering business support, we would welcome further discussions to help address this issue.

 

 

Annex 2

 

Low carbon economy, business and development (including retrofitting):

 

Low carbon development	AWM	Low Carbon Housing: developing a baseline for refurbishment in the West Midlands	Mar 2009	The report sets out the scale of the challenge of carbon management around the housing agenda and examines the information currently available regarding existing retrofit activity and energy supply.	Funded by the WMRA. Published by AWM and WMRA   Contact: Paul Fisher   Low carbon housing in the West Midlands
Retrofitting	SEEDA	Retrofitting Existing Housing Stock in the South East	2008	Research developed through regional modelling and stakeholder engagement. Based on achieving two key targets 1. To achieve a 20% reduction in residential CO2 emissions by 2016, relative to 2003 2. To eliminate fuel poverty where practicably possible in the South East by 2016, with the aim to improve all properties to a minimum standard of efficiency i.e. SAP 65). The modelling found that it would cost just over £6.5 billion to install the measures required to raise all fuel poor households to SAP 65, which equates to an average cost of £1,923 per household. This would result in the average SAP rating rising from 52.8 to 69.2. Even with all the identified measures installed to raise all fuel poor households to SAP 65, 43% still remain in fuel poverty. This is likely to be due to a combination of very low incomes; severe under-occupancy; and insufficient energy improvements, resulting from the criteria imposed in the model (e.g. restrictions for listed buildings) and/or because it is otherwise hard to treat	Pat Tempany Retrofitting Existing Housing Stock in the South East
Sustainable Homes	LDA	Achieving Code for Sustainable Homes Level 5 and 6 in London	Not yet published	Prepared by Faber Maunsell for the London Development Agency. It examines the technical and commercial feasibility of achieving the higher Levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes for high density urban developments.	Not yet published   Simon Wyke [e-mail] 020 7593 8250
Zero carbon developments	DTI and GLA	Towards Zero Carbon Developments: supportive information for London Boroughs	Jul 2006	The main project aims were to develop a robust, broadly accepted working definition of zero carbon developments and, if possible, low carbon developments and to produce supportive information for London boroughs to aid them in the identification of suitable sites. Another main aim was to encourage use of the boroughs' powers as landowners and in forming partnerships with others to bring about zero carbon development. The study involved a stakeholder consultation exercise followed by a peer review meeting to further discuss the scope and content of the supportive information. Written by the Centre for Sustainable Energy and London Borough of Merton Planning Officers for the LEP.	Towards zero carbon developments
Sustainable development	LDA (but not published)	A Review of the LDA Sustainable Development Guide's Sustainability Standards	Jul-08	URS were commissioned by the LDA to undertake a review of a set of design and construction sustainability standards set out in the LDA's draft Sustainable Development Guide. The second report of a two-phased review of the Guide, which was complemented by other research on cost modelling of sustainability options and cost savings associated with energy and carbon reduction. It builds on the findings and recommendations from Phase One and, in particular, investigates how suitable the standards are by assessing their costs. The report includes an assessment of the costs of meeting different levels of the Code for Sustainable Homes and of BREEAM, as well as relevant requirements of the London Plan and other standards set out in the LDA's SD Guide (covering issues such as climate change adaptation, waste, materials, flooding and drainage etc). Not published, but can be made available to other RDAs on a confidential basis.	Not published - internal only   Contact: Simon Wyke [e-mail] 020 7593 8250
Low Carbon Economy	LEP	Financing London's low carbon future: options for a Low Carbon Leasing Company	Dec 2008	This report looks at options for setting up a Low Carbon Leasing Company as a way of speeding up investment in low carbon technologies in London. Written by ESD Ltd for the London Energy Partnership (LEP)'s Finance Task Group. While there are a large number of central, regional and local government energy initiatives and incentive schemes operating in London targeted at reducing the capital's CO2 emissions, the penetration of energy efficient and low carbon installations within London's building stock is still relatively low. This report explores the model of a Low Carbon Leasing Company (LCLC). Such a company would address this implementation gap by leasing low carbon measures to building owners and occupiers in London.	Financing London's low carbon future: options for a low carbon leasing company   Email: [e-mail]
Low Carbon Economy	LEP	Implementing Delivery Mechanisms for Financing London's Low Carbon Future	Jan 2008	This report continues the work of the London Energy Partnership in identifying ways of financing low carbon projects in London. The work aims to promote three delivery mechanisms in which various individuals and organisations in London could participate and assist in overcoming some of the barriers associated with these projects. The three delivery mechanisms, which were conceived as part of Ernst & Young's previous work for the LEP in 2006, include: Low Carbon Advisory Service; Green Mutual and Rental ESCO. The report included recommendations on each of these three delivery mechanisms.	Written by Ernst & Young for the London Energy Partnership.   Implementing Delivery Mechanisms for Financing London's low carbon future   Email: [e-mail]
Low carbon Economy	AWM	Decoupling into a low carbon economy	Awaiting publication	The report aims to identify how economic growth can be achieved in the West Midlands without a similar growth in environmental impacts, particularly carbon emissions	Produced by the West Midlands regional observatory Contact: Tom Anderson   http://www.wmro.org/standardTemplate.aspx/Home/OurResearch/Placeenvironment/Sustainabledevelopment

 

 

October 2009