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06 SUPPORTING CLIMATE ADAPTATION IN SCOTLAND
6.1 This chapter examines current climate adaptation challenges faced by Scottish organisations and the Scottish Government's role in supporting climate adaptation, both through its own activities and in partnership with stakeholders.
6.2 To date, much of the debate around adapting to climate change has focused, implicitly or explicitly, around levels of uncertainty in future climate scenarios. However, recent research has shown that human and social capital is a crucial determinant of whether organisations are well-adapting; as important as levels of income and technological capacity. In this context, human and social capital means the ability and training of individuals within organisations and the capacity of management structures to deliver/implement appropriate activities. For that reason, we have examined the current overall resilience of sectors to inform how Government may best support further development of capacity building for effective climate adaptation.
Current organisational capacity for building resilience to climate change
6.3 In early 2008 the Scottish Government surveyed a group of key decision makers in selected organisations from across Scotland with an interest in climate adaptation. The purpose of the survey was to help the Scottish Government identify how organisations plan for and manage the risks associated with climate change impacts; what tools they use; what scenarios they plan for; and the extent to which existing weather impacts affect their operations. 12
6.4 The survey found that many key decision makers in Scotland already plan for and have developed management strategies to cope with changing weather patterns. When asked how effective the organisation's internal planning had been in response to the last critical event they had experienced, the results were highly variable, however the majority believed that their organisation coped well. Several major challenges at an organisational level were identified, including:
- Accessing specific locations during/immediately after the event
- Timeliness of information
- Accuracy of information from third party organisations
- Provision of timely public advice
- Damage to infrastructure
- Accessing resources within own organisation
Further information on the survey participants and findings of the survey can be found in Annex B.
Consultation Question 5: Do you think these are the most pressing challenges for organisations responding to critical weather events? Please provide any additional comment. |
Consultation Question 6: What do you think are the most pressing challenges for organisations planning for critical weather events? |
The Scottish Government's role in supporting climate adaptation
6.5 In many cases, individuals and organisations are likely to adapt autonomously as they experience the impacts of changing climatic conditions on their lives or business. This may be in response to sudden change, such as loss of power during storms, or in response to incremental change, such as the lengthening of Scotland's growing season. Often, this autonomous response may be most appropriate as it can best reflect the willingness of the decision-maker to accept or not accept the risk of a similar impact occurring again in the future. However, in some cases these autonomous actions may accumulate to give adverse outcomes, such as the effect of increasing flood risk as a result of many small prevention measures.
6.6 There are several key barriers that may impede our ability to make decisions that minimise the risks or maximise the potential opportunities of a changing climate. We can only make the optimal decision if we have adequate knowledge; the capacity to plan for such risk; and available capital to implement the decision. Furthermore, individual responses to the impacts of climate change alone will not deliver, as the Stern Review warns, "the full response necessary to deal with the serious risks from climate change" 13 from a societal viewpoint. Significant barriers to optimal decision-making, such as imperfect information, too short planning horizons or too many competing pressures for time and money, would not result in optimal responses.
6.7 The Scottish Government has a strategic role in driving an effective climate adaptation response in Scotland. Government must provide leadership by integrating the principles of adaptation through its own actions and is uniquely placed to influence many of the key policy areas central to a strong adaptation response across Scotland. We are working to integrate the principles of adaptation through our policies in planning, health, flood risk management, the water environment (including abstraction), transport, forestry, building standards, agriculture and nature conservation. These policies need to identify and maximise synergies - where action by one policy can support another - and avoid situations where the actions of one policy hinders the objectives of another. Furthermore, Government must build adaptive capacity more broadly through Scotland by improving the understanding of climate change and its associated risks and opportunities.
6.8 We propose to develop Scotland's first climate change adaptation framework to identify strategic principles and priority actions as a means of providing leadership, guidance and consistency of approach to government and non-government decision-makers. Scotland's Climate Change Adaptation Framework will also identify roles and responsibilities for public and private decision makers across Scotland. Finally, it will draw links with Government action on mitigating future impacts of climate change, through efforts to reduce emissions. See Box 6.1 for further information on the Scottish Climate Change Bill and supporting policy to reduce emissions.
Consultation questions 7: Do you think we have identified the right role for the Scottish Government in supporting climate adaptation in Scotland? If not, what would you add to, remove from or clarify about this role? |
Box 6.1: Scottish Climate Change Bill and supporting mitigation policy |
The Scottish Government has set out its climate change commitments in the Government Economic Strategy, Scottish Budget SR 2007, and the Scottish Climate Change Bill consultation which proposes an ambitious target to reduce emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. The consultation also sought views on measures to help Scotland adapt to the unavoidable impact of climate change. Proposals included mandatory adaptation reporting requirements which could include detail on the policies in place to adapt to a new climate, their projected effects and measured efficacy. The consultation closed on 23 April, and over 21000 responses were received. The responses and their analysis will be published during Summer 2008. The Economic Strategy also commits the Government to reducing emissions in the period to 2011. Work is being undertaken to map out the development of new policies to contribute to delivery of the Scottish Government's 2011 and 2050 targets. A research contract to conduct an initial assessment of potential new policies is in its final stages and will report in the early summer. In the Scottish Budget we committed to assess the carbon impact of policy options during the appraisal process. Guidance is being developed, incorporating the government's new shadow price of carbon, to be used during the next budgetary period. This will enable identification and quantification of specific carbon impacts, and timescales, from a range of policies. Meeting climate change targets while increasing economic growth will be a major challenge. However, there are growth opportunities from improving the environment and moving towards a low carbon economy, e.g. development of alternative energy technologies. A major conclusion of the Stern Review was that the economic cost of inaction vastly exceeds the economic cost of action on climate change. |
Working in partnership to support climate adaptation
6.9 The Scottish Government is working closely with other UK Administrations to ensure the sharing of best practice and cross-border cooperation. Government responsibility for the majority of policy areas impacted by climate change adaptation is devolved to the four Administrations of the UK. Each Administration is currently in the process of developing adaptation policy to address the specific vulnerabilities their country faces. However, it is recognised that there is much to be gained from ensuring coherence across the Administrations, as well as a UK-wide approach on cross-border issues. The four Administrations are currently investigating the best mechanism for taking this common approach forward, with particular emphasis on joined-up working in areas such as research.
6.10 The Scottish Government is also working with the other UK Administrations in the development of the UK Climate Change Bill. The Bill provides a framework for shared action and recognises the Scottish Government as a partner in the pursuit of the UK emissions reduction target (at least 60% CO 2 reduction by 2050). The UK Bill does not specify the measures to be used in Scotland. The Scottish Climate Change Bill will offer an opportunity to put in place a framework for a Scottish target and to introduce any relevant devolved policy measures which require primary legislation.
6.11 A UK-wide approach is especially valuable in the area of research and the Scottish Government is contributing to several key partnerships that will shape climate change research over the coming decade. The Government is supporting the Living with Environmental Change research agenda which brings together research councils, governments, businesses and other stakeholders focused on addressing the challenges posed by increasing pressures on natural resources and global climate whilst sustaining global economic development. The Scottish Government will also contribute to the development of guiding objectives for the UK-wide National Risk Assessment of vulnerabilities and opportunities caused by the impacts of climate change, stemming from the UK Climate Change Bill. This regular assessment will provide valuable input to the ongoing development of Scotland's climate adaptation response. The Government has also worked with the UK Climate Impacts Programme ( UKCIP) 14 since its inception in 1997. UKCIP supports public, private and voluntary sectors to help them understand climate change and how it may affect their organisations. UKCIP guidance, such as its review of characteristics for successful adaptation (see Box 6.2), has been central in informing the Scottish Government approach to climate adaptation. Further examples of how the Scottish Government is working in partnership or leading crucial research initiatives can be found in Annex B.
Box 6.2: UK Climate Impact Programme's characteristics for successful adaptation |
The UK Climate Impacts Programme identified a number of characteristics that studies have shown to lead to successful adaptation 15: - Working in Partnership - identify and engage your community and ensure they are well informed.
- Understand risks and thresholds, including associated uncertainties.
- Frame and communicate SMART* objectives/ outcomes before starting out.
- Manage climate and non-climate risks using a balanced approach - assess and implement your approach to adaptation in the context of overall sustainability and development objectives that includes management of climate and non-climate risks.
- Focus on actions to manage priority climate risks - identify key climate risks and opportunities associated with longer-term climate change.
- Use adaptive management to cope with uncertainty - recognise the value of phased approach to cope with uncertainty.
- Recognise the value of no/low regrets and win-win adaptation options in terms of cost-effectiveness and multiple benefits.
- Avoid actions that foreclose or limit future adaptation or restrict adaptive actions of others.
- Review the continued effectiveness of adaptation decisions by adopting a continuous improvement approach that also includes monitoring and re-evaluations of risks.
* SMART objectives - specific, measureable, achievable, results-oriented and time-bound. |
6.12 The Scottish Government has an important facilitation role, helping to support partnership action across sectors and amongst the many Scottish organisations and individual actors impacted by climate change. We have had a significant role in the establishment of the Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership ( SCCIP), created toincrease the resilience of Scottish organisations and infrastructure to meet challenges and opportunities presented by the impacts of climate change. The Partnership's website - www.sccip.org.uk - offers free access to high quality data on climate trends and their impacts in Scotland.
6.13 Often in the front line in dealing with the impacts of climate change, local authorities have a central role to play in an effective climate adaptation response in Scotland. They are responsible for addressing local flood risk management, managing local service provision and their own substantial estates that will be impacted by a changing climate. They are well placed to develop adaptation responses that are sensitive to local priorities and respond to climate change impacts specific to their local area. Therefore, it is important that local authorities play a leadership role in assisting the community to adapt through awareness raising and practical action. In 2007, all 32 local authorities illustrated their universal commitment to work with the Scottish Government in addressing climate change by signing Scotland's Climate Change Declaration. The Declaration includes commitments both to mitigate the human impact on climate change through reducing greenhouse gas emissions and to adapt to predicted climate change impacts. The Scottish Government and Convention of Scottish Local Authorities ( COSLA) are working together to provide a package of support to assist local authorities in their climate change work. As Single Outcome Agreements evolve over time, COSLA and the Scottish Government will also be working together to see that the commitments Local Authorities have made under the declaration are adequately reflected in the these new agreements.
6.14 The Scottish Government supports the Sustainable Scotland Network ( SSN) to provide assistance to local authorities in meeting their commitments in Scotland's Climate Change Declaration. The Scottish Government is a member of the Scottish Local Authority Climate Change Programme ( SLACCP) Development Group, chaired by the SSN, which is developing a programme of support for Scottish local government. A number of elements of this support programme have already been published and can be found on the Sustainable Scotland Network website - www.sustainable-scotland.net.
6.15 The Scottish Government also plays an active role in broader public discussion on adaptation. Over the past year, we have responded to discussion papers and inquiries, such as the EU green paper Adapting to Climate Change in Europe - Options for EU Action 16, the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's study on Adapting the UK to Climate Change 17 and the Environment Audit Committee's enquiry into Climate change and local, regional and devolved government 18.
6.16The EU Green Paper Adapting to Climate Change in Europe - Options for EU Action19 was released for consultation in June 2007. It argued that climate change would magnify regional differences and existing difficulties requiring focussed solidarity between Member States and regions for effective climate adaptation. While the impacts of climate change vary significantly between regions, the Green Paper argued there was a role for European legislation which influences decisions right down to the local level. This is particularly the case for environmental legislation and for the common policy areas such as agriculture and fisheries. The Green Paper's main objective was to kick-start a Europe-wide public debate and consultation on adaptation to the impacts of climate change, the results of which will help with the further development of Community adaptation policies and a white paper to be released by the end of 2008.
Communicating more widely
6.17 The forthcoming Scotland's Climate Change Adaptation Framework will focus primarily on what the Scottish Government and other public sector bodies can do to reduce Scotland's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
6.18 The Scottish Government has an ambition to deliver a well-adapting Scotland in support of its central purpose of creating a more successful country through sustainable economic growth. It is uniquely placed to influence many of the policy areas central to a strong adaptation response. However, to ensure Scotland is adapting effectively to the impacts of climate change will require the active participation of everyone - individual households, businesses, community groups, the voluntary, public and private sectors.
6.19 Raising awareness and an understanding of climate impacts and encouraging effective adaptation responses is a vital element of our overall climate change response. The Scottish Government will seek to encourage climate adaptation actions in key audiences, both directly and through public bodies.
Consultation Question 8: Which key audience groups/ organisations/bodies do you think the Scottish Government should be communicating with about climate adaptation? |
Box 6.3: Supporting adaptation in international development |
As the influential 2006 Stern Review highlighted, "[t]he impacts of climate change are not evenly distributed - the poorest countries and people will suffer earliest and the most." 20 Analysis to date have shown that developing nations are most at risk from current and future impacts of climate change and least able to adapt to increased risk of drought, disease, flooding, heat waves, rising sea levels and other impacts of climate change. Furthermore, within these countries, it is the poorest groups who are often more susceptible to specific climate change impacts and find it harder to adapt or recover from them when they occur. As outlined in the Scottish Government's International Framework 21, our international engagement is driven by the need to place Scotland as a responsible nation and partner on the world stage. The Scottish Government recognises the need for international action to address the impact of climate change in vulnerable developing countries. However, as Scotland's Climate Change Adaptation Framework will focus on domestic adaptation, this consultation paper does not raise questions of how best to support adaptation in developing countries. The UK Department for International Development, which is funded by contributions from all UK taxpayers, has prioritised action on climate change as one of its Strategic Objectives for the PSA period 2008 to 2011. In addition to the UK contribution to the Nairobi Work Programme, which will assist developing countries in making better informed decisions on adaptation to the impacts of climate change, a new £800m Environmental Transformation Fund has recently been announced, which includes support for adaptation. The UK is the largest contributor to the existing UN adaptation funds and has backed the new levy-financed Adaptation Fund. In addition to Scotland's contribution to the UK Department for International Development, the Scottish Government has an International Development policy. The policy reflects how the Scottish Government, as a Devolved Administration, can enhance Scotland's contribution to the global fight against poverty and recognises Scotland's identity as a responsible nation. The policy is supported by the International Development Fund. This represents £6million per financial year (2008/2009 and 2009/2010) and rising to £9million in 2010/2011. The Scottish Government policy, and more detailed funding guidance will take due consideration of the impacts of climate change on the developing world. The Scottish Government will also assist developing countries threatened by climate change through the provision of a fund to Commonwealth countries for off-setting carbon emissions generated by the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. This will be targeted at climate change adaptation and mitigation in Commonwealth countries. |
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