Encouraged by last year’s speech from the Secretary of State for the Environment, Caroline Spelman, on adaptation, CIWEM has written the Minister a letter to express its support for the work of the UK Climate Impacts Programme, stressing its long-term role in supporting adaption throughout the UK.
Funding is due to cease in September 2011, so CIWEM is very concerned that UKCIP may be undervalued at a time of spending cuts. However, UKCIP has long been the catalyst for adaptation in the UK and a role model for other countries, so its value in stimulating and supporting independent action cannot be understated. This has been achieved inter alia through provision of climate and socio-economic scenarios, publications and training. Given the cost of climatic-related events (e.g. in excess of £3 billion for the 2007 floods), CIWEM believes that the data provided by UKCIP to help assess future events represents excellent value.
UKCIP has a vital job in helping to facilitate the adaptation process, bridging the gap between academia and practice, which is particularly important at a time of high complexity in climate projections and in emerging methods for adaptation. UKCIP data also underpins adaptation policy and plans, including those related to provisions of the Climate Change Act. Therefore, CIWEM believes that UKCIP should form an integral part of the Government’s plan.
In the letter to Caroline Spelman, Nick Reeves OBE, Chief Executive of CIWEM, and Geoff Darch, Chair of CIWEM’s Climate Change Network, say:
“CIWEM believes that UKCIP should be given a sustained and central position working alongside delivery partners in the public, private and third sectors. In addition to its existing activities, UKCIP could have an expanded role in ensuring the best physical and social science is used in adaptation decisions, including the auditing or endorsement of good practice. Further work in the area of vulnerability assessment would also complement the UKCP09 climate change projections.”
Source: The Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM)
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