Introduction to the programme

This module is the third of three modules within this Climate Adaptation Literacy Training Programme. You are required to complete all three modules.

Climate change in the UK and why adaptation matters

• Headline introduction and key definitions
• Climate change and future projections
• Climate hazards and their potential impacts

Zooming in: Climate impacts in the West Midlands

• Climate risks facing the West Midlands
• Examples of climate hazards in the West Midlands

How can we adapt to climate change?

• The measures to adapt to climate change
• Best practice examples of climate adaptation
• Adapting your work to be climate resilient

Once you have completed all three modules, you will get your personal certificate after the assessment at the end of the modules.

Module 3 learning outcomes

By the time you have completed this module, you should have a good understanding of:

• The measures to adapt to climate change.
• Best practice examples of climate adaptation.
• Incorporation of climate adaptation into the working environment.

It is not all doom and gloom!

Despite the range of climate risks and impacts facing the West Midlands, we still have time to invest in designing our places, our projects, our services and schemes in ways that are well adapted to and therefore more resilient against the future climate scenarios we have discussed in the previous modules.

Types of adaptation action

Climate adaptation is a relatively new topic for many people. It relates to future risk management and the prevention of climate impacts from occurring.

We are all at different stages of the climate adaptation maturity cycle. The cycle is iterative, and adaptation actions might sit across the various stages.

Top tip

We don’t know exactly what level of global warming we will reach over the next century, nor exactly what scale of impacts will occur. This brings a lot of uncertainty to the ‘what if’ scenarios that we are adapting to. Adaptation action should be proportionate and developed in line with your respective risk appetite.

Definition: Climate adaptation

Climate adaptation refers to the adjustments we make to ensure that we are better prepared for the increasing and intensifying climate hazards that climate change will bring.

Awareness

Initial understanding of climate change impacts relevant to your work area, the potential risk factors and recognition of the need for adaptation.

Build evidence

Analysis of the potential impacts of climate change, identifying vulnerable areas and populations, and assessing the severity of risks.

Business case/policy development

Creating a comprehensive adaptation plan with specific goals, actions, timelines and cost benefits of different measures.

Investment delivery and implementation

Putting adaptation strategies into practice, including infrastructure projects, policy changes and community engagement initiatives.

Monitoring, evaluation and learning

Tracking the effectiveness of adaptation actions, making necessary adjustments and documenting lessons learned. 

Types of adaptation action

Climate adaptation is a relatively new topic for many people. It relates to future risk management and the prevention of climate impacts from occurring. These are the types of adaptation reactions.

• Adaptive capacity building
• Finance and insurance
• Technology and enginerring
• Nature-based solutions
• Community level adaption

Section 1 | Adaptive capacity building

1. Adaptive capacity building

We are already responding to climate impacts. Every time we react to a flooded section of infrastructure or a spike in hospital admissions during a heatwave, climate change forces our hand.

By taking a step back, learning from these experiences, and figuring out what we are missing, we can fill the gaps, build our adaptive capacity, and take control of our response to climate hazards.

Definition of adaptive capacity

Adaptive capacity refers to the ability of systems, institutions, humans and other organisms to adjust to the potential consequences and to take advantage of opportunities of climate change.

How to prepare the ground for climate adaptation

• Identify barriers to achieving climate adaptation.
• Establish the business case for adaptation.
• Uncover where there are gaps in our data, and how we can fill them.
• Identify the skills needed to achieve climate adaptation, and how they can be sourced.
• Identify how we are already responding to climate hazards.
• Identify who needs to be engaged and how best to engage them.
• Establish whether current governance structures provide the right conditions for achieving climate adaptation.
• Learn from existing work to manage climate risks.

1a. Knowledge, literacy and behavioural change

We can't change what we don't understand. Gathering information and raising awareness are critical steps in adapting to climate change.

• Conducting research into current and future climate risk enables us to understand the factors that make certain residents more vulnerable to climate hazards and meet their needs more effectively.
• Sharing good practices with others can speed up adaptation progress across the board.

1a. Knowledge, literacy and behavioural change

Disseminating the right information, to the right people, in the right way, is crucial.

• Providing decision-makers with accurate data leads to better decisions being made.
• Equally, arming our residents with the right information about climate hazards, communicated in the right way, allows them to take steps to protect themselves.

What information do you need to better understand the climate risks and adaptation options facing your work area?

How do you currently record climate impacts on your work and do you currently climate risk assess your work for current and future risks?

Take a moment to think about your response.

1b. Stakeholder engagement

We are going to spend the bulk of this module learning about the variety of adaptation measures we can deploy to manage the impacts of climate change. Covering everything from satellites to single trees, they vary significantly in scale. However, they all require proper stakeholder engagement to be successful.

People know their places. There is no substitute for the knowledge of local stakeholders to inform decision-making about potential adaptation measures.

Stakeholders are much more likely to buy into a project if they are involved in it.

We have already seen how our most marginalised residents are also those most at risk from climate hazards. If their voices aren’t heard, our climate risk maps are likely to look disturbingly similar in the future.

The West Midlands is far from the only region grappling with climate hazards. There is a growing global knowledge base for us to tap into.

Top tip

Consider who you need to engage and collaborate with to deliver climate adaptation in your work.

1c. Governance and institutional changes

We can use policy as a lever to prioritise adaptation measures.

Embedding adaptation measures as requirements into urban planning processes can help ensure that best practice is followed.

A great example of this is the UK's biodiversity net gain regulations, which incentivise developers to play a role in habitat creation and improving biodiversity.

1c. Governance and institutional changes

Climate adaptation can be integrated into stakeholders' existing plans and networks.

Stakeholder groups, like local resilience forums and industry bodies, provide opportunities to use existing channels to get information about adaptation solutions to the right people.

Incorporating climate risks into organisations' existing risk management structures is another great way to mainstream adaptation.

Adoption of international (ISOs) and British standards (BS) on climate adaptation can help standardise your team’s approach to future-proofing your work against possible climate scenarios.

Standards

• ISO 14090 – supporting adaptation management
• ISO 14091 – conducting an adaptation risk assessment
• ISO 14092 – requirements and guidance on adaptation planning for local governments
• BS8631 – adaptation to climate change. Using adaptation pathways for decision making

What policy levers do you already have to hand that might help mainstream climate risk and adaptation considerations in your work?

What policies and leadership support might you need to raise up the agenda of your team and partners?

Case study: adapting infrastructure standards in France

In response to startling future climate projections, the French Government commissioned an extensive review of its standards for the design, maintenance and operation of infrastructure that was completed in 2015.

How did France overhaul their standards for design, maintenance and operation of infrastructure?

Experts from across the country’s infrastructure sector came together to screen existing French infrastructure standards, pulling out any reference to climate hazards that might be exacerbated by climate change.

The group used their expertise to decide which infrastructure standards needed updating to reflect the climatic conditions of the next century, and which were still fit for purpose.

As a result of this group’s recommendations, a massive overhaul of France’s infrastructure standards was undertaken, with over 800 standards revised for highways alone!

This ambitious policy intervention makes climate adaptation a key part of decision-making across France’s infrastructure sector and establishes legal incentives for best practice, helping to protect the country’s infrastructure for decades to come.

1d. Data collection and your business case for adaptation

Conducting a climate risk assessment for your project, policy, asset or service area is a start to collecting intelligence on possible challenges posed by climate hazards. Once you have assessed what the problem might be, adaptation options and their cost benefits can start to be considered.

In the first two modules of this course, we saw how ‘business as usual’ is likely to look in the context of the climate crisis. It is going to be costly.

Without substantial effort and resources put into adapting to climate hazards, we are going to be exposed to additional risks and additional costs in the future.

These costs will make it harder for local and combined authorities to carry out their responsibilities, and risk making some of their functions financially unviable.

For the WMCA, we have already seen how climate hazards may put our ambitions for both inclusive and economic growth in jeopardy.

It is the same story for social value. Without significant climate adaptation, residents’ experiences of life in the West Midlands are going to become more challenging due to the impacts of climate hazards.

By investing in climate adaptation now, we can avoid the substantial costs of facing future climate scenarios unprotected.

What information do you need to inform your business case for future-proofing your assets or services in the face of a changing climate?

1d. Data collection and your business case for adaptation

Data tools, such as the Met Office’s Local Authority Climate Service (LACS) (this link will open a new window) and the WMCA’s Climate Risk and Vulnerability Assessment (CRVA) maps, help identify where climate risks might be most concentrated across the region and what future climate scenarios might look like.

Climate risk assessment and adaptation planning templates, such as Local Partnerships’ Climate Adaptation Toolkit and Risk Generator (this link will open a new window), can be applied by a range of sectors and sub-sectors to help you identify the climate risks facing the communities you serve and the policies, projects, business functions, assets and services that you deliver.

Climate Change Risk Assessment template

Risk scoring matrix example

Section 2 | Finance and insurance

2a. Finance

We can leverage the world of finance to adapt to climate hazards.

• Both the public and private sectors have roles to play in getting the right resources to the right places and ensuring that we can fund the adaptation measures we need.
• Public finances are unlikely to resource the scale of climate adaptation needed. Therefore, integrating climate risk management and adaptation into annual business planning is an essential first step for stakeholders across the public, private and third sectors alike.
• The market for investing in and purchasing climate resilient outcomes is in its infancy when compared to other markets like carbon and biodiversity net gain (BNG) credits.

2a. Finance

Finance models for climate adaptation are emerging across the globe but are not yet matured. More locally, the West Midlands Local Investment in Natural Capital (LINC) project is making the region’s public sector more market-facing in their nature-based projects and programmes.

Case study: Local Investment in Natural Capital (LINC)

LINC is an innovative demonstrator programme designed to develop an investment vehicle that attracts finance at scale.

This finance is then used to support projects that strengthen the region’s green economy, restore habitats and biodiversity and deliver nature-based solutions.

These solutions can often reduce climate risks through the improvement of water quality, reduction of flood risk, carbon sequestration, improved air quality and urban cooling.

2b. Insurance

The insurance industry has a growing part to play in delivering climate adaptation.

• Through introducing innovative policies, like offering lower premiums to clients who implement climate adaptation measures, insurance companies can incentivise positive change and reduce their risk exposure.
• By sharing data gathered through processing the claims of victims of climate hazards, insurance companies can also help to identify climate hotspots and sense check other data sources.

Case studies: finance and insurance in action

Here are two case studies about how finance and insurance can help pave the way for climate adaptation.

Public-private Cooperation in Norway

In 2013, local authorities, researchers and insurance companies in Norway began working together to deliver more targeted climate adaptation interventions.

Facilitated by researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology and the Western Norway Research Institute, nine local authorities were given access to insurance companies’ loss (payout) data for climate hazards over the previous 10 years.

This required considerable trust from all sides, with insurance companies handing over commercially sensitive data to municipal governments.

The risk paid off, with local authorities able to sense check their existing climate risk data, identify new hotspots for flooding and storm damage, and implement adaptation measures where they were most needed.

Funding Paris’ Adaptation With Climate Bonds

Faced with a backlog of adaptation projects that lacked the funding to be implemented, the French capital devised an innovative solution to harness the resources of private investors.

In 2015, Paris launched its €300 million climate bond with the aim of unlocking capital through conscientious private investment.

What made this initiative particularly attractive to investors was its use of a ratings agency to hold Paris accountable for the proper use of investors’ funds.

Initially, 20% of the fund was ringfenced for nature-based adaptation projects. Delays and disruption during the COVID-19 pandemic saw progress stall, but by 2021, 30 hectares of new green space had been created, and 20,000 new trees had been planted across Paris because of this funding mechanism.

Section 3 | Technology and engineering

3. Technology and engineering

We can utilise technology to increase our resilience to climate hazards.

• Early warning systems are designed to monitor climatic conditions to forecast hazards, getting the right information to the right people well before disasters strike.
• Hazard and risk mapping enables very localised and often complex information on climate hazards to be shared succinctly with governments, businesses and other decision-makers to embed considerations of climate risk into their long-term plans.

Engineered ‘grey’ solutions using more conventional construction methods can also help us adapt.

• Installing new infrastructure through measures such as embankment reinforcements and flood defences, or designating additional resources to upgrading, repairing and replacing existing infrastructure, are all valid ways we can adapt.

Case studies: using technology and engineering to adapt

Here are two climate adaptation case studies in which technology and engineering were used effectively.

Regenerating Bilbao to withstand flood risks

Bilbao, in northern Spain, is transforming its Zorrotzaurre district from a near-abandoned industrial site to a state-of-the-art flood-proof neighbourhood, delivering over 5,000 new homes without using up any additional space.

Climate change means that Bilbao will face the triple threat of rising sea levels, increased riverine flooding and increased surface-water flooding. Because of this, the Zorrotzaurre development includes several crucial adaptation installations.

To increase the water capacity of an adjacent canal, a channel has been opened, turning Zorrotzaurre from a peninsula to an island.

Parts of the area have been elevated by 1.5 metres; a new flood wall has been constructed; green space has been prioritised to manage flooding risks; and three large stormwater tanks have also been installed to account for excess water.

Copernicus: Europe’s Eyes in the Sky

The Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMS) is part of the European Union’s space programme, and provides free, real-time satellite data on floods, forest fires and droughts to all users.

This enables users to receive advanced warning of climate hazards before they strike and can help decision-makers manage the risk of climate hazards in between disasters occurring.

However, whilst localised risk data is incredibly valuable for managing disaster risks, it is no substitute for physical adaptation measures.

For example, in May 2023, the EMS was used by Italian authorities to assist their response to devastating floods in the Emilia Romagna region. Whilst helpful, this didn’t prevent 17 deaths, 50,000 residents being displaced and over €10bn in damages.

Buildings: flood alleviation, ventilation and cooling

How we design and retrofit our built environment can reduce the impacts of high temperatures, storms and flood events on our properties. Work is underway to decarbonise our built environment and improve energy efficiency, and this is a great opportunity to incorporate climate adaptation into these changes.

Through flood alleviation, improved ventilation and cooling measures, the following climate resilient outcomes can be achieved:

• Improved thermal comfort and therefore improved health and wellbeing of occupants.
• A reduction of humidity, mould and damp following flood events.
• Reduced property damage.
• Improved indoor air quality.

Passive and active heating/cooling

Definition: Passive heating/cooling uses non-mechanical technology, design elements and nature-based solutions to keep spaces at the right temperature without using energy. Examples include:

• Reflective walls and roofs.
• Indoor window treatments: curtains, blinds.
• Cool flooring (timber).
• External shading: shutters, overhangs, trees and vegetation.
• Thermal wall and loft insultation.
• Communal heating systems: pipe insulation, ventilation of service voids.
• Behaviour change: opening of windows, use of ‘cool rooms’.

Definition: Active heating/cooling uses mechanical technology and therefore energy to keep spaces at the right temperatures. Depending on the energy source, active heating and cooling can have counteractive effects on net zero ambitions. Examples include:

• Mechanical ventilation.
• Ceiling fans.
• Air conditioning units.

Thermal comfort

Thermal comfort is the condition of mind which expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment. (BS EN ISO 7730) – which means the condition of not feeling too hot nor too cold.

Factors that affect thermal comfort include:

• Air temperature.
• Air velocity – how fast air is moving.
• Radiant temperature – the temperature of surroundings, like surfaces and heat-generating equipment.
• Relative humidity – the amount of water vapour in the air compared to the maximum water vapour the air can hold.

Buildings: flood alleviation, ventilation and cooling

See the diagram for examples of measures that can improve the climate resilience of the built environment – both housing and other property types. Many of these solutions can help us adapt to climate change and decarbonise.