Skills and Knowledge from the HCA
Skills and Knowledge from the HCA
Global average temperatures are changing and there is now a 90% certainty
that the high rate of change is a consequence of human activity. Through our
work in delivering sustainable communities, we can make a real difference in
helping to mitigate causes through reducing greenhouse gas emissions
and making allowances for adaptation.
HCA focuses on the skills that professionals need to respond to these challenges. This site offers both an introduction to key sources of information and the opportunity to build your knowledge, to make a real difference in delivering sustainable communities.
In the simplest terms, our communities will need to be able to flourish whilst coping with the impacts of climate change. Key changes anticipated include:
The UK Climate Impacts Programme has developed scenarios setting out how the impacts are likely to be felt in the UK which can be used to develop adaptation strategies. Climate change impacts will not affect all communities equally, with some being especially vulnerable.
Examples of vulnerable communities are those living in:
The urban fabric turns over quite slowly so there is a need to climate-proof new and refurbished developments by providing energy-efficient homes and settlements that are resilient to future climate change impacts.
Globally, there is an urgent need to slow and reverse the growth in greenhouse gas emissions to prevent dangerous climate change. The UK has a target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60% by 2050.
In a speech on the 19 November 2007, Prime Minister Gordon Brown stated:
"The EU view is that to stand a chance of keeping the temperature increase below the 2 degrees centigrade target, and as part of a multilateral agreement, emissions from industrialised countries like Britain should be cut by 60-80% by 2050...evidence now suggests that as part of an international agreement developed countries may have to reduce their emissions by up to 80%. So we will put this evidence to the Committee on Climate Change, ask it to advise us as it considers the first three five-year budgets on whether our own domestic target should be tightened up to 80%."
To maintain a positive understanding of the value of and need for action, the Royal Society provides an ideal starting point for tackling the common myths about change. These include responses to common questions about, for example, how CO2 is contributing to global warming and what certainty there is in relation to the role of humans in driving the rate of change.
A first stop in responding effectively to climate change is understanding the differences and similarities between climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Mitigation seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It should be built in to every decision in terms of minimising impacts as far as is practical. Understanding opportunities for mitigation is a key skill for all sustainable communities practitioners and in particular for those leading on and preparing policy and strategy.
Mitigation can be achieved in a huge variety of ways, both straightforward and more innovative. The key principles of mitigation are:
The latter two methods are commonly cited as forms of carbon offsetting.
Adaptation is about responding to climate changes and making sure future communities can live, work, rest and play in a comfortable and secure environment. It is critical to understand the anticipated climate change scenarios in order to deliver appropriate adaptation measures.
From a strategic perspective there are two distinct measures necessary for securing effective adaptation:
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has published the 2007 Fourth Assessment Report, Summary for Policy Makers which is available at http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf
The UKCIP website is the leading UK resource on climate change.
The site can help organisations identify how they will be affected by climate change to enable them to plan to adapt. It includes excellent climate change projection maps, demonstrating the expected types of changes across the UK and Ireland.
The European Union has produced its first policy document on adapting to climate change.
The link provides access to information on adaptation, international negotiations, actions being taken and studies, as well as maps on climate change.
The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, funded by three UK research councils, is the national centre for trans-disciplinary research on climate change.
This is the UK Government's centre for research into the science of climate.
The centre models climate changes, including simulating differences between global and regional climates, historic changes and prediction of changes over the next 100 years.
The UKCIP website gives access to climate change scenarios for the UK and Ireland, offering excellent and understandable maps and explanatory text.
Policy, best practice and community, also addresses mitigation and adaptation.
(Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies)
The website provides information on the ADAM project which is working towards a better understanding of the trade-offs and conflicts that exist between adaptation and mitigation policies.
AMICA is a European website which takes an integrated policy approach towards mitigation and adaptation.
The materials section of the website gives adaptation, mitigation and integration tools, while About AMICA provides publications on combining mitigation and adaptation strategies as well as information on regional and local strategies and climate change.
The LGA site presents a report on strengthening local action in climate change and is directed towards local authorities.
It provides information on adaptation strategies for climate change in the urban environment.
Online resource on adaptation to climate change. The site brings together information about Government activity on adaptation, including the adaptation to climate change programme, and the adaptation elements of the Climate Change Bill.