Upload
elvin-oliver
View
217
Download
1
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Building resilience to extreme weather in the south west
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
“Warming of the climate system is unequivocal”
“The atmosphere and ocean have warmed, the amounts of snow and ice have diminished, sea level as risen and concentrations of greenhouse gases have increased.”
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, AR5 WGI September 2013
Weather versus climate?
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Climate - the average weather in a locality over a period of 30 years or more
Weather – what is happening outside right now
Mitigation – reducing our emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2)
Adaptation – preparing for the unavoidable impacts of climate change
What we have seen so far
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
2014: flooding and...?2000: flooding
2001: flooding
2003: heat wave
2005: flooding
2006: droughtheat wave
2008: floodingsnow & ice
2007: flooding
2009: floodingsnow & ice
2010: floodingsnow & ice
2012: droughtflooding
2013: heat waveflooding
storm
What can we expect by 2050s
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Overall increase in temperature 2.7°C
Increased winter precipitation 17%
Decreased summer precipitation 20%
Rising sea levels 26-29cm
More frequent & intense extreme weather
• Mitigationreducing our emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO2)
• Adaptionpreparing for the unavoidable impacts of climate change
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
What have we seen so far?
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Between 1961 and 2006:
Average summer temp. increased by 1.41 °CSummer precipitation decreased by 8.8%Winter precipitation increased by 15.9%
Sea level in Newlyn has risen 20 cm since 1920
10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 1997
What we are seeing now
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
• Prolonged unsettled weather
• Cold snap in North America
• Storms expected
• Location and strength of jet stream brings storms across Atlantic
• Active area of research
What does it really mean?
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Biotechnology
Built environment
Water resources & water quality
Advanced engineering & aerospace
Coastal areasForestry
Agriculture & horticulture
Biodiversity, habitat, conservation & landscapes
Sea fisheries
River flooding & drainage
HousingHealthHeritage
Transport
Environmental technologies
Financial services
Food & drink
Marine Tourism & leisure
Our economy
Our society
Our natural environment
2014, weather or climate?
• Intensity of winter storms is increasing• Intensity of heavy rainfall is increasingHOWEVER.....• Direct attribution is not possible at the
moment
Impacts for agriculture & forestry
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Challenges• Increased risk of disease • Heat stress to poultry and livestock • Increased risk of drought • Loss of productive land due to sea level
rise• Increased soil erosion and run-off
Opportunities• New crop varieties• Reduced frost damage• Longer growing seasons• Improved land management and
woodland creation
Impacts for biodiversity
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Challenges• Risk to drought vulnerable species
• Increased visitor pressure on natural environment
• Invasive non-native flora and fauna
• Change in SW natural environment
Opportunities• Flora and fauna move to northern
distributions
• Integrated land management and habitat creation
© RSPB
Impacts for business and utilities
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Challenges• Business continuity • Recovery costs from events• Increased insurance costs• Health and safety risks• Disruption to supply chain / movement
of goods and services
Opportunities• New market opportunities – goods and
services• Recreational and leisure opportunities• Opportunities to enhance reputation• Reduced energy demand in winter
Impacts for the built environment
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Challenges• Development in floodplains• More need for summer cooling• Increased rain penetration• Subsidence/landslips• Rising demand for water but decreased
supply
Opportunities• Less demand for winter heating• More potential for solar energy• Increased amount of trees• Improved drainage infrastructure• Changing design standards
© White Design
Impacts for tourism
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Challenges• Visitor destinations at capacity• Increased insurance costs • Damage to buildings• Staff and visitor health and safety• Coastal locations threatened by sea
level rise and increased erosion
Opportunities• Potentially longer season• Job creation• Diversification • Tourism in ‘off peak’ periods• New market opportunities
© Bournemouth Tourism
Impacts for transport
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Challenges• Increased pressure on transport
system from increased visitors• Increased disruption• Increased damage to infrastructure
Opportunities• Increased scope for walking and cycling• Less frost damage to infrastructure and less
need for gritting• Fewer ice/snow related accidents and
infrastructure damage
Impacts for health
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Challenges• Over exposure to UV – cataracts & skin
cancer• Increased heat related deaths• Impacts of air pollution• Food poisoning• Infectious / tropical diseases• Service delivery impacts
Opportunities• Increased physical recreation –
reduction in obesity• Milder winters – reduction in excess
winter deaths• Fewer cold related admissions
Why be a resilient business?
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
• Improve goods and services
• Protect existing customer base creating opportunities with new ones
• Increases process efficiency
• Cuts cost and drives profitability
• Reduces likelihood of legal trouble
• Lowers insurance premiums
• Peace of mind for customers, suppliers, shareholders
• Job security for staff
Climate SouthWest partnership
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Agriculture & forestry
Biodiversity Built environment
Business & utilities
HealthLocal authorities
TourismTransport
Preparing for change - Top Tips
1. Identify the effects to your business
2. Check your flood risk
3. Get help and advice
4. Learn from others
5. Reduce risk
6. Plan ahead
7. Check your insurance
8. Practical actions
9. Raise awareness
10. Review Health & Safety procedures
© Environment Agency
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
A short film featuring 11 tourism businesses in the SW who are taking action to adapt to climate change
‘ ‘Weathering the Storm’ coming soon....
“Changing Climate – Changing Business” DVD
Tools to increase resilience
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
Business Resilience Health Check• Interactive online tool• Identifies vulnerabilities• Produces bespoke prioritised action
plan• Pilot workshopswww.businessresiliencehealthcheck.co.uk
Severe Weather Impacts Monitoring System (SWIMS)
• Local authorities and partner organisations• Measures cost of severe weather events• Identifies impacts on services, communities,
reputation and the environment• Valuable decision-support tool• Making the business case!
Support available
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
• Business Resilience Healthcheck Tool and training www.businessresiliencehealthcheck.co.uk
• Change Adaptation Building the Business Case – IEMA guidance• CBI produced Whatever the Weather, Managing Risks from a changing Climate
www.cbi.org.uk • Weathering the Storm - Saving and Making Money in a Changing Climate
www.climate-em.org.uk• Climate UK www.Climateuk.net• VisitEngland ‘Responding to extreme weather’ guidance for tourism businesses
http://www.visitengland.org/flood-response/index.aspx• ClimatePrepared Website http://www.climateprepared.com/
Climate SouthWest
Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate
www.climatesouthwest.org@ClimateSW