Climate change will affect our infrastructure. Infrastructure is vital to the country – energy, telecommunications, transport and water systems move key resources around the country and provide our global links. It is important our infrastructure is able to adapt, as effective adaptation will help minimise the potential long-term disruption and cost to the economy.

As an infrastructure company, it is important new infrastructure is planned, designed and built now for the future impacts of climate change over the infrastructure’s estimated lifetime. At the same time, you may also need to make sure your existing infrastructure is able to adapt.

Climate Resilient Infrastructure: Preparing for a Changing Climate

On 9^th May 2011, Defra’s Secretary of State launched Climate Resilient Infrastructure, a cross-Government report which outlines the challenges to the transport, energy, water and ICT infrastructure sectors to adapting to climate change. The report sets out what action needs to be taken by infrastructure owners and operators, regulators, insurers and Government. The report has been produced as a commitment from the Government’s National Infrastructure Plan.

• Full report
• Summary
• News release

The report is also the culmination of the two-year Infrastructure and Adaptation project, which has involved the key infrastructure departments Cabinet Office, BIS, CLG, DECC, DfT and Defra. A synthesis of the independent studies that the project commissioned has been produced:

• Synthesis report

Infrastructure and Adaptation Project

Defra set up a 2-year cross-Government Infrastructure & Adaptation project (April 2009-April 2011) to examine the risks and potential solutions to improve the long-term resilience of new and existing infrastructure in the energy, ICT, transport and water sectors.

The project, involving senior representatives of key Government infrastructure departments, commissioned, and published, four independent studies to examine a range of key issues:

Adapting Energy, Transport and Water Infrastructure to the Long-term Impacts of Climate Change – this examined the technical risks and operational implications for infrastructure in these sectors. The report is available for download:

• Summary report (PDF 1.9 MB)
• Full report (PDF 7 MB)

Adapting the ICT Sector to the Impacts of Climate Change – this explored the impacts of climate change on the ICT sector and the potential for adaptation.

• Summary report (PDF 900 KB)
• Final report (PDF 1.8 MB)

Adapting to Climate Change in the Infrastructure Sectors – exploring the implications of climate change impacts, both for existing infrastructure and for future investment in these sectors. This report also examined the role of Government, regulators and others in encouraging adaptation action to maintain robust and resilient infrastructure systems.

• Summary report (PDF 200 KB)
• Full report (PDF 3.4 MB)

Infrastructure, Engineering and Climate Change: Ensuring Services in an Uncertain Future – setting out the engineering profession’s views on how to adapt the infrastructure system to the long-term effects of climate change and the short-term shocks of extreme weather.

• The Engineering the Future report Infrastructure, Engineering and Climate Change Adaptation – ensuring services in an uncertain future (PDF 1 MB) was published in February 2011.

Increasing the climate resilience of waste infrastructure – delivering against a commitment in Climate Resilient Infrastructure : Preparing for a Changing Climate to consider the implications of climate change for the waste sector.

• Final report (PDF 3.5MB)

You may also be interested in:

• Adapting to climate change
• Mitigating climate change – Defra’s role
• Climate science and research
• What is the government doing?
• A to Z of adaptation

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for, or to offer comments and suggestions, please contact us at acc.mailbox@defra.gsi.gov.uk.