What we are doing to adapt to climate change
Extreme weather events such as the 2007 summer floods, the 2004-06 drought
and the 2003 heat wave have shown us the major impact they can have on our households,
businesses, and the critical infrastructure.
The UK Climate Projections (UKCP09) shows that we should continue to expect
wetter, warmer winters and hotter, drier summers, as well as more extreme events,
such as flooding, sea level rise and drought.
These extreme events threaten Society as a whole which can suffer from the
damaging effects on the economy. The vital services, ie. roads, railways, water
treatment works, electricity generation and the NHS, including the vulnerable
sections of the society such as the poor or elderly are more likely to be affected
by these events.
Adapting to or coping with climate change will therefore become necessary in
many regions and for certain socioeconomic and environmental systems. The need
for adaptation may be increased by growing populations in regions vulnerable
to extreme events
The Environment Agency has a major role to play in helping England and Wales
adapt to the future impacts of climate change. It is already planning for climate
change in many aspects of the work, e.g. both, Flood Risk Long Term Investment
Strategy and Water Resources Strategy includes allowances for future climate
change.
Our strategy for climate change adaptation
Key components include:
* Development of climate change risk assessments and Adaptation Action
Plans for all core parts of the business
* Development of an integrated climate change risk assessment
* Developing an Adaptation Programme, incorporated into the next corporate
strategy, due in April 2010.
* A rolling programme of delivery of adaptation, with examples and case
studies demonstrating how things are done differently' because of climate
change as well as to build on these examples to enhance both, communications
activities and the work with external stakeholders and government.
* By 13 July to publish a major new report on climate change adaptation.
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