Adapting to Climate Change - Environmental Audit Committee Contents


Supplementary memorandum submitted by the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU)

OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS DEFRA'S ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAMME HAS SET UP A NEW ORGANISATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR ADAPTATION

Is the framework coherent?

  The Adapting to Climate Change (ACC) Programme is a positive step the Government is taking to bring adaptation into the climate change debate. While the Programme aims to develop evidence based impacts, raise awareness and embed adaptation across Government policies, there remains a lack of clarity on what adaptation really is in terms of practical measures and actions that can be taken. Of particular importance is the artificial pushing together of regional and local challenges and opportunities. Regional structures are directly accountable to government, deliver little and are driven by economic development. Local government is accountable to the people in an area, delivers many services and is driven by a wider range of drivers from clean streets to care of the elderly. It would make more sense to focus tightly on local government as the best articulation of demand for adaptation support.

Are the roles of national, regional and local government clear and appropriate? The role of local government is not clear as demonstrated by local authorities' unawareness of the ACC Programme. This may be because adaptation is still not adequately defined in terms of practical measures and actions, so councils don't know what they need to be doing to adapt or support communities to adapt. There may also be a lack of coherent and consistent messages between Departments, more broadly on climate change but also on adaptation. For example, advice is given to local authorities to avoid development on flood plains yet the Government continues to set new housing development targets for councils, putting pressure on already restricted land.

Why are Whitehall departments not engaging with the Local and Regional Adaptation Partnership?

  A shortfall of financial clout and direction. LRAP has a budget of £150K pa. This must be considered by somebody as an appropriate amount for service deliverers and politicians on the ground to properly address what many call the greatest challenge faced by our generation. Clearly it is not enough, so the answer lies in national, regional and local government pooling resources properly to give LRAP a certain weight. The second element is direction, which needs to be much clearer and capable of being understood and interpreted by other departments so they can see how it fits with their priorities. Finally, senior civil servants get together across government departments formulating strategy on adaptation which has a direct impact on local government but there is no connection to LRAP.

How does their lack of engagement impact on local authorities?

  It creates the perception that adaptation is a Defra responsibility and therefore is an environmental issue. This would inevitably resonate at the local level where local councils that work on adaptation would place it within the Environmental Directorate, when it should be mainstreamed across all departments. The lack of engagement from other Whitehall departments also gives the impression that adaptation is not important enough for local authorities to take seriously. This affects funding priorities and resource allocation at the national level, which would affect local priorities.

If the Local and Regional Adaptation Partnership isn't valued by all partners is there something else that should be invested in instead?

  There is a need to set up a structure that promotes a positive engagement between local, regional and national government in order to develop policy, share good practice, raise awareness and facilitate practical implementation. The starting point for this would be to invite leaders of influential councils, some RDA Chief Executives, senior local government officers who are experts in different dimensions (eg infrastructure, health, emergency planning) and representatives from different government departments who are also engaged in interdepartmental dialogues on adaptation strategy. The group would need to be confident that it could suggest policy and projects that are likely to be funded. The group's starting point would be the development of a three-year action plan.

THE ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE PROGRAMME HAS A LOW PROFILE IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES

What benefit would there be in it raising its profile in local government?

  It would demonstrate to local authorities that the Government is taking the impacts of climate change and adaptation seriously. Better awareness of ACC will also enable councils to access reliable and timely information. However, the ACC will not only need to be high profile but also need to have better and more relevant information for local authorities, not just information on what Defra is doing but also practical ways of supporting councils.

How should it do this?

  The projections in practice was a good attempt at reaching out to stakeholders, but the turnout was low and this could be due to a low awareness of ACC. One option is to utilise sector organisations, such as the LGiU or LGA for local authorities (similarly the CBI and BCC for businesses and the National Farmers' Union and Country Land and Business Association for farmers) to reach out to relevant stakeholders. It could also run pilot schemes to demonstrate exemplars and good practice and work with the third sector and community organisations to encourage public demand for better adaptation measures from local authorities.

What action has the Adapting to Climate Change Programme taken to assist public bodies to make the most of the opportunities presented by climate change?

  The ACC recognises the need to identify the opportunities but little action is taken to advise and develop measures to identify and make use of opportunities. More could be done to map products and services that will thrive in a world that is 2 or 4 degrees warmer. It could also commission research to quantify the financial costs and savings of taking specific adaptation action in the UK. The LGiU suggestion of a Climate Adaptation Trust aims to address some of the gaps in the current resources available to take action on adaptation.

Does it need it take more action, and if so, what should it do?

  It would appeal more to local authorities (and other public bodies) when adaptation is presented as a cross-sector issue. Therefore, rather than promoting adaptation as risk assessment and management, ACC should promote "Positive Adaptation", a concept the LGiU has been promoting to address the social, economic and environmental benefits, which closely mirrors the thinking behind sustainable development. It calls for organisations to use resilience and adaptation to create a new way of living that manages risks of climate change, maximises economic opportunities and addresses social justice for those most vulnerable. This requires better coordination between adaptation, mitigation and economic development.

What can councils do to help local communities and businesses to realise the benefits of climate change?

  Firstly, councils are likely to succeed in getting community buy-in into adaptation by making it a security and resilience issue. Therefore the more communities adapt, the more secure they will be from actual and predicted impacts of climate change. However, councils also need to complement the security issue with opportunities for businesses and communities. Councils already provide advice to communities about business opportunities from regeneration and tourism and social benefits of walking and cycling. In response to the impacts of climate change, councils could:

    — Promote local food production and demand.

    — Identify and raise awareness of challenges and opportunities in the new fishing and agricultural industries.

    — Identify economic advantages for the local area and promote economic development and growth in these sectors.

    — Advice and support for businesses looking for new economic opportunities, such as new crops for farmers and retrofitting existing homes for builders and designers.

    — Promote training and jobs in the emerging sectors.

    — Information on outdoor leisure activities and places available for families.

    — Promote new tourism opportunities to local businesses.

    — Provide information to visitors on new leisure activities and sports.

    — Promote alternative mode of transport such as cycling and walking.

18 December 2009


 
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