Impacts of Climate Change in the UK and Adaptation Options

What is the 'Impacts of Climate Change in the UK, and Adaptation Options' programme?

This is a research programme across several government departments and has now ended. The work was led by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and funded through the Strategic Evidence Fund.

See the story related to this programme on our website.

What did the programme do?

The programme looked at how climate change could affect the way that we live in the UK in schools, defence estates,

More detail on the projects

1. Schools Climate Change Adaptation Study

The project provided practical guidance and design tools

• how to avoid overheating in new and existing school buildings
• design for improved thermal comfort so that, with the projected increases in temperatures, schools will remain comfortable
• how to improve external areas, responding to the challenges and opportunities offered by projected climate change.

Working with UK Climate Impacts Programme   
Budget £120k, plus match funding, with approximately £500-700k funding for demonstration projects
Contact: Nick.Mayer@partnershipsforschools.org.uk   
       
2. Climate Impact Risk Assessment Methodology

This project aims to maintain and optimise defence capability by addressing the impacts of climate change on the Ministry of Defence estate. (See story on LWEC website)

This will be achieved through the development and roll-out of risk assessment tool across Ministry of Defence sites, to:

• identify risks and opportunities to delivering defence outputs from projected climate change
• identify actions and processes that will be required to adapt to projected climate change and maintain defence capability

Roll out across 70 priority Ministry of Defence sites will occur by March 2013 and across the remaining major operational sites by March 2015.

Budget £19k
Contact: julia.powell@de.mod.uk

3. Future Flows and Ground Water levels

This project aimed to develop a consistent and accessible assessment of the impact of climate change on river flows and groundwater levels that can be used in decision-making across organisations.

The project developed tools for both water resources management and other disciplines (fish, ecology, navigation, channel morphology, water quality modelling). This will enable for better management and regulatory decision making and provide a consistent approach to adapting to climate change.

Working with
Environment Agency
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
UK Water Industry Research
Natural Environment Research Council

Budget: £761,000 over 3 years (2009-2012).

Contact: Victor.Aguilera@defra.gsi.gov.uk

4. Communities at risk of coastal flooding and erosion

The UK Climate Projections present climate change projections as a range of possible futures rather than as a single prediction, to reflect uncertainty about future climate.

The project explores and then makes recommendations on the most appropriate ways to engage coastal communities with the UKCP09 Projections and will develop and test messages and components of presentations and graphics on adaptation.

Working with the Environment Agency   
Budget £50k
Contact: Sarah.Clifford@defra.gsi.gov.uk

5. Use of UKCP09 Projections for Spatial Planning and Asset Management

This project will examine the alternative approaches to account for climate change across flood and coastal erosion risk management, water resource management, highways, housing and spatial planning.

Working with Highways Agency, Deparment for Communities and Local Government and Environment Agency.
Contact: Ella.Thomason@defra.gsi.gov.uk
Budget: £25k

6. Department for Work and Pensions and climate change

This project aims to use the UKCP09 scenarios to look at where the Department for Work and Pensions' business may be affected by future climate change.

Findings from this project will be used to future proof the Department for Work and Pensions Estate from climate change impacts, in addition to highlighting the need for adaptation to decision makers and staff.

Working with The Meteorological Office
Budget: £25k
Contact: richard.fountain@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

7. Impact of climate change on the cultural, sport, tourism and creative industries

The project aims to provide an evidence base on the key risks of climate change for the Department for Culture, Media and Sport areas of interest, including to:

• analyse the key risks of climate change on these sectors and produce an adaptation risk register and briefs for the cultural, tourism, sport and creative industry sectors
• examine the resilience (including financial) of these sectors and produce GIS maps of the potential flood, water stress and urban heat island risk in for example, tourism, sports, museums, libraries and theatres.

Working with: ARUP
Budget:  £97K
Contact Andrea.Dias@Culture.gsi.gov.uk

8. Access to Food in a Changing Climate

The project aims to assess the risks associated with climate change for UK food systems, and in particular the access to food for vulnerable groups. The study will answer the following questions:

1.  What is the likelihood of changes in socially excluded and vulnerable groups’ economic access to food as a result of climate change?
2.  Are socially excluded and vulnerable groups more likely to live in areas affected by extreme weather or sea level rise? Will this affect access to obtain or purchase food?

Working with the Global Environmental Change and Food Systems and Oxford Institute of Ageing.
Budget: £20k
Contact: jo.bray@defra.gsi.gov.uk   
Cath.Harris@defra.gsi.gov.uk

9.The Application of the UK Climate Projections to Land Management for Environmental Benefit

The project aimed to

• improve understanding of both the practical processes and the strategic choices and challenges involved in applying the UK Climate Projections to land management for environmental purposes
• give Defra an enhanced insight into practical enablers and barriers (such as existing objectives and policy regimes) 
• give Defra an enhanced insight into the cultural enablers and barriers (such as approach to risk management or conservation).

Working with HR Wallingford   
Budget: £75k
Conact: holly.yates@DEFRA.GSI.GOV.UK