Consultation on developing the "adaptation power" in the Climate Change Act 2008
June 29, 2009
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on how to build "adaptation" (changing behaviour to respond to the impacts of climate change) into planning and risk management of climate change.
Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing society today and cutting emissions is a priority for the UK government. In response, the Climate Change Act 2008 was introduced. The Act includes an "adaptation reporting power" providing the Government with a power to ask public sector organisations and statutory undertakers (eg energy and water companies) to report on their assessment of the risks climate change poses to them and the actions they will take in response.
The consultation covers the main questions on the proposed use of the new power including who should report and how it should be done.
Responses should be sent to acc_reportingpower@defra.gsi.gov.uk by 9 September 2009.
Meanwhile, at the launch of Green Week, 2009, Stavros Dimas, the European Commissioner for Environment, said that this year was "a crucial year in the battle against climate change", as policymakers work towards the United Nations' Copenhagen climate change conference in December 2009, where parties have agreed to shape an "ambitious" international response to climate change.
He explained that Green Week 2009 will cover four themes.
- Policies and measures being put in place in the EU
- International dimension - looking at key issues in the context of the Copenhagen negotiations and at climate change in specific regions
- Living with climate change - the need to start adapting to it now
- Looking beyond the current issues to develop realistic visions of a sustainable, low-carbon world in the year 2050
Mr Dimas repeatedly invoked science during his introduction to the conference, saying policymakers are "listening to what science is telling us" as they put together their targets for cutting emissions and tackling climate change.
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