The Impacts of Climate Change: Implications for Defra
This
report sets out the findings of a study to explore the potential implications
of changing climate across the range of Defra's responsibilities. The
study, which built on the previous study
carried out in 2001 for the former Department of the Environment, Transport
and the Regions, was based on wide consultation across Defra, and discussions
with external experts and stakeholders.
The report was prepared by the In House Policy Consultancy, based in the Department for Transport, and serving the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, DfT, and Defra. The work was undertaken to inform the development of Defra's policy on adaptation to climate change in the UK. It is not a statement of the Department's views or Government policy.
The report is one of the most thorough studies of the implications of climate change ever carried out for a Government department in the UK. Its recommendations will help Defra avoid unexpected risks and reduce the costs associated with climate change. In particular, the report:
- highlights the importance of climate change to Defra in terms of meeting its top-level objectives, developing policy and managing priority at-risk areas such as floods, water, biodiversity and agriculture;
- identifies a clear way forward for further action by Defra and asks Directorates to develop their own action plans tailored to their day-to-day policymaking needs; and
- forms part of the Department's overall commitment to improve strategic policymaking.
The report should also provide a useful model for other Government departments and other organisations to prepare their own assessment of impacts and adaptation (more details on the interdepartmental process are at www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/sdig). The report picks out some key structural issues facing all Government departments when tackling climate change, by bringing a new clarity to issues where pro-active planning is needed by Government, e.g., in the areas of regulation and contingency planning. The report presents clear recommendations on how to overcome the challenges involved in tackling climate change, because of its uncertain, cross-cutting, and long-term nature.
The study confirms the key role played by the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) which has been funded by the Government since 1997. UKCIP provides advice and guidance for public and private sector organisations in identifying their exposure to climate change risks and ways of responding to these. UKCIP was instrumental in producing a new set of climate change scenarios for the UK published in April 2002, which showed that climate change could be faster and sharper than previously thought.
The report contains useful and challenging recommendations for Defra. We will be implementing these in full over the coming months, with a review of progress after one year. Work in this area will also support the wider Government adaptation policy process by improving the basis for policy appraisal and risk management.
The report is available for downloading in Adobe Acrobat format (PDF) (1.6MB).
Further information is available on our Help page about downloading or reading PDF documents.
Page last modified
12 December, 2007
Page published 11 February 2003