Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

1Introduction

The Earth’s climate is changing rapidly, and the effects are being realised on a global scale. Climate change poses a major threat to global society, and it is vital that we have an understanding of the anticipated effects of climate change in order that we can take action to reduce the impact on our lifestyles and on the way we do business.

The Tees Valley Climate Change Strategy (TVCCS) introduces the subject of climate change in the context of the sub-region. It also outlines generic issues and action that must be taken across the sub-region to minimise the severity and impacts of climate change. The strategy does not, however, address issues at the local authority level. Hartlepool Borough Council has produced a climate change action plan that details strategic priorities for tackling climate change in the borough. This Climate Change Adaptation Strategy moves on from this strategic approach, by addressing the risks that climate change poses to services delivered by Hartlepool Borough Council (HBC) at an operational level.

This strategy outlines the need for action on climate change, differentiates between mitigation and adaptation, and introduces a risk assessment process and risk register to reduce and manage the impacts of climate change on services provided by HBC. This strategy is intended to be used as a toolkit for managers whose services will be impacted by climate change.

2Aims & Objectives

In order to successfully instigate Council-wide action on climate change, it is important to set out a number of strategic aims and objectives. The overall aim of the strategy is to:

“Reduce the negative impacts of climate change upon the services delivered by Hartlepool Borough Council, and identify and pursue any potential opportunities that may result”.

This strategic aim will be achieved by meeting the following four objectives:

  1. Incorporate climate change adaptation into all major plans, policies and strategies, in order to increase the resilience of the Authority’s services. This has already begun, with climate change sections included in the Corporate Plan, the Core Strategy and the Local Transport Plan (LTP3). Work will continue to ensure that climate change and climate change adaptation are considered in all relevant documents.
  1. Increase awareness of the impacts of climate change, both internally and amongst the wider community. The majority of individuals and organisations are aware of climate change, and how they can reduce their carbon footprints. However, many have not yet given thought to the need to prepare for the impacts that climate change will have on their day-to-day activities. Although this strategy is aimed directly at HBC service providers, it is essential that the Council takes a lead role in communicating the need for adaptive measures with other partners, down to the individual householder level.
  1. Achieve Level 4 on the Department for Energy & Climate Change’s Self Assessment Adaptation Matrix. The matrix measures the extent to which an organisation is prepared for the effects of climate change, and is scored from Level 0 to Level 4. Level 4 is the highest score on the matrix, and demonstrates that an organisation has considered climate change as a central part of its business process.
  1. Develop a solid understanding of current climate change related threats and opportunities relating to services delivered by HBC. As climate science develops, and projections are fine-tuned, the anticipated impacts of climate change on HBC will need to be reviewed to ensure that risks and actions identified are kept up to date. Furthermore, changes to the ways that services are delivered may have an effect risks previously identified, and may also give rise to new risks.

3Climate Change Projections

The UK Climate Projections ’09 (UKCP09) have been produced by the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP), using complex climate modelling techniques, and are a world-leading example of this area of work. The projections cover a wide range of complex data detailinglikely climate change related effects. A summary of the eleven main effects has been produced for use in this strategy and the risk assessment process, as outlined below:

  • High rainfall events;
  • Flooding;
  • Wetter winters;
  • Sea-level rise;
  • Heat-wave;
  • Increasing average temperatures;
  • Droughts in summer;
  • Drier summers;
  • Longer growing seasons;
  • Less snow and frosts; and
  • High wind events and storms.

To summarise further, in Hartlepool, we expect to see the following over the coming years and decades:

  • Warmer, wetter winters;
  • Hotter, drier summers; and
  • An increase in severe weather events.

4Adapting to Climate Change

All action on climate change can be categorised into one of two groups: Mitigation and Adaptation.

Climate change mitigation addresses the causes of climate change by, for example, reducing energy and fuel use or installing renewable energy units to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Climate change adaptation addresses the impacts of climate change, such as, for example, ensuring that plans are in place to deal with summer heat-waves or droughts, winter flooding, or improving sea defences.

It is essential that both mitigation and adaptation occur together. Historically, climate change mitigation has received the most attention. However, adaptation is equally as important as the greenhouse gases that cause climate change remain active in the atmosphere for up to 200 years, and it is therefore inevitable that climate change will continue to present a range of effects as outlined above.

By taking early action to adapt to climate change, HBC will be in a position to increase the resilience of its services to a changing climate.

5Risk Assessment

Services provided by HBC will be affected by climate change. In order to maximise HBC’s resilience to a changing climate, it is essential that we understand the risks and take action to reduce them. The Council’s Carbon Action Now – Departmental Officers (CAN-DO) group is an operational team that formulate and deliver actions in response to climate change. The group is responsible for both mitigation and adaptation measures. The group meets every two months, and climate change adaptation is included as an agenda item. The Group is consulted on adaptation measures, and further officers and service areas are consulted as and when required.

The Local Strategic Partnership, through the Environment Partnership, is kept informed of the need for climate change adaptation measures, and of HBC’s risk assessment process. Partners have been, and will continue to be, encouraged to take adaptive measures to reduce the risks that climate change poses to their services.

5.1Risk Assessment Process

Risk assessments of individual service areaswere carried out in order to identify, target and monitor issues arising as a result of climate change.

As climate change is a cross-cutting issue, risk assessment templates werefed down from assistant director level to all service area managers within the Authority. Individual service area managers, as specialists in their fields, were responsible for identifying risks and completing a risk assessment for each of the eleven risksstated in Section 3 of this strategy. A copy of therisk assessment template is attached as Appendix 1.

Respondents were required to give brief details of the risks that climate change poses to their service areas and formulate actions that have been or will be adopted to minimise the impact that those risks will have on service delivery.

5.2What is Covered by the Risk Assessment Process

This strategy covers the impacts of climate change on local services under the direct responsibility of Hartlepool Borough Council. Activities covered by the risk assessment process concern the day-to-day provision of HBC’s services. Due to the nature of Local Authority service provision, there are a number of overlaps with other organisations and with the public.

5.3What is Not Covered by the Risk Assessment Process

Large scale, strategic decisions, such as the construction and improvement of new and existing sea defences, are not covered by the risk assessment process within this strategy.

The strategy is not intended to be used as a plan specifically for partners and other organisations. However, it is intended to inspire others to consider the effects of climate change, and to provide a framework and guidance for others to follow suit. Hartlepool Borough Council will promote climate change adaptation measures to the community, in order to increase borough-wide resilience to the threats posed. Furthermore, work is underway at national and regional levels to address climate change adaptation, and to ensure that adaptive measures are introduced in the following sectors:

-Agriculture sector;

-Biodiversity (including ecosystem services) sector;

-Built Environment sector;

-Business/Industry/Service sectors;

-Energy sector;

-Flooding & Coastal Erosion sector;

-Forestry sector;

-Health sector;

-Marine sector (including fisheries);

-Transport sector;

-Water sector; and

-Other sectors not included in the above.

5.4Monitoring Process

A register of all risks recorded through the above process is kept by the Climate Change Officer, and all significant risks are monitored through Covalent – the Council’s corporate performance management system. Risks will be reviewed annually to ensure that they are effectively managed, and that new risks are identified as and when they arise. Any proposed actions to reduce risks will also be recorded, monitored and reviewed on an annual basis.

Appendix 1 – HBC Risk Assessment Template for Completion by Service Area Managers