Climate Change Adaptation: Drivers, Barriers and Strategy

18 – 19 March 2010

Recognising the urgent need to understand and respond to the threats and opportunities posed by a changing climate, Imperial College London and Collingwood Environmental Planning (CEP) are pleased to present a two day training programme to provide in-depth and practical knowledge of policy and practice relating to climate change adaptation, how to understand risks and plan an effective strategic response.

Background

Understanding of the way the climate is changing and the potential impacts on individuals and society is developing fast. In June 2009, the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) published the latest UK climate projections (UKCP09), which are more detailed than previous projections, provide regional level detail, and include probabilistic projections, which will help assess risks and support decision making. These projections, like other recent information, suggest that the impacts could be even more severe than previously predicted. The failure of governments to reach agreement at Copenhagen in December to reduce CO2 emissions makes it yet more urgent for policy makers, planners and managers to understand and assess potential climate impacts in decision making.

Climate change is a major challenge which needs to be addressed at all levels and sectors of society. In the public sector there is a need to take account of potential impacts on people and the physical environment in planning, delivering and maintaining the services on which economic activity and social interactions rely. For the private sector, UKCIP predicts that climate change impacts will affect almost every aspect of business, but that forward planning can minimise the threats and maximise the opportunities created by a changing climate.

A number of key policy drivers are adding to the momentum for action on climate change adaptation. At the EU level, a European Commission White Paper on climate change adaptation, adopted in April 2009, presents a framework for adaptation measures and policies to reduce the European Union's vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.

In the UK, the Climate Change Act became law in November 2008. The Act requires the Government to prepare a programme of adaptation measures and creates new powers to direct public bodies to address climate risks and to produce an action plan. The Government has also included a climate change adaptation indicator (NI188) within the new local government performance framework, requiring local authorities to undertake a climate change risk assessment and develop an action plan to address those risks.

The Aim of the Programme

The aim of the course is to:

• Provide a sound understanding of climate change risks and their relevance to participants’ organisations
• Describe how to identify and overcome potential barriers to adaptive action
• Set out how to use strategic planning to develop adaptive capacity.

Who Should Attend?

The course is aimed at all those with an interest in understanding how to develop specific climate change adaptation strategies/action plans or how to effectively incorporate climate change adaptation into existing planning processes. The programme will be of relevance to both public and private sector organisations and will be applicable to a UK and wider European audience. Particularly, it may interest those involved in spatial planning, environmental and sustainability policy, emergency planning and corporate strategy within:

• regional and local government
• central government departments and their agencies
• European institutions
• NGOs and research organisations, including climate change partnerships
• businesses, including service providers that need to meet reporting requirements under the Climate Change Act.

Teaching approach:

The course will take place over two consecutive days with a natural progression between the days. Day 1 will focus primarily on understanding the impacts and risks associated with climate change, policy drivers and barriers to adaptation. Day 2 will focus on practical action to overcome barriers and plan strategically for adaptation. The course aims to provide participants with a detailed understanding of the issues so that they will feel confident in assessing their climate vulnerability and commissioning or developing strategies or actions to increase their adaptive capacity.

The course will make use of interactive teaching methods such as role plays, visual aids and small, facilitator-led, discussion groups. Case studies will be used throughout the course to draw on practical examples and enhance discussion of both good, and bad, practice. The course will also draw on UKCP09 projections wherever appropriate.

The maximum number of participants on the course will be 20, and there will be at least two trainers each day. The course will also use one or more specialist guest speakers where appropriate.

Participants will receive a workbook to follow during the course, and all supporting and reference material will be pro vided in both hard copy an d CD format.

The course will run from 9.00am to 5.00pm each day, with each day broadly taking t h e following format:

• Introduction / review of previous day (day 2 only)
• Lecture and plenary discussion
• G roup work and structured activities
• Round up and summary discussion of key issues, setting out tasks for the following day (day 1 only)
• There will be opportunities for informal discussion / Q&A with presenters throu ghout the course