Adapting Institutions to Climate Change - Twenty-Eighth Report (Paperback)

The overwhelming scientific consensus is that the earth is warming because of human activities. Adaptation will be necessary even if mitigation efforts are markedly increased, because we are already locked in to climate change as a result of historic greenhouse gas emissions. Projections show that it is likely that global average temperatures will rise by 2 degrees C, and there is the potential for a 4 degree C rise by the end of the century. UK projections suggest warmer, drier summers and warmer wetter winters. The consequences are likely to be profound, even devastating with more extreme events - floods, drought and heat waves - coupled with sea level rises. Policies and practice on water management, coast protection, and nature conservation will need to change. This report explores how institutions should adapt their policies to a changing climate and offers a ten point check list to be followed by all organisations. The Commission found many institutions are poorly prepared to adapt to climate change and many have simply not started to consider it. The Commission makes recommendations designed to help institutions develop their capacity to respond to this challenge. In contrast to climate change mitigation (where local actions have global benefits), adaptation is primarily about local action with local consequences that may differ markedly in different parts of the UK.