Local climate change adaptation responses and social justice Jean Welstead 13/9/12.
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Transcript of Local climate change adaptation responses and social justice Jean Welstead 13/9/12.
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Local climate change adaptation responses and social justice
Jean Welstead
13/9/12
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Introduction
• Understanding social justice in climate change• Relevance of climate adaptation to local authorities and
organisations• Roles and responsibilities• Key messages from research ‘Socially Just Adaptation to
Climate Change’• Recommendations
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Understanding social justice in climate change
• Defra definition ‘Adaptation means changing our behaviour to respond to both the projected and current impacts of climate change’
• Building adaptive capacity – framework for action• Delivering adaptive actions – reduce vulnerability, exploit
opportunities• Ensuring socially just adaptation requires:
– Understanding of which groups are most vulnerable to climate change impacts
– Appropriate adaptation to ensure that their needs are met
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Social justice issues
• Adaptation planning can aggravate inequalities• Social issues related to adaptation are diverse &
contextually specific• Importance of addressing both procedural & distributive
justice– Procedural – empowering communities to become
involved in decision-making– Distributive – distribution of income, assets &
opportunities
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Relevance of climate adaptation to
local authorities and organisations
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Policy drivers
• UK Government priority– activity to be driven locally
– But public sector funding cuts
• Not just a local authority responsibility
– Environment Agency, SEPA, NIEA, Single Body
– NHS/Public Health bodies
– Transport providers & private sector
– Housing associations & third sector
• Most policies refer to social justice implications but . . .
– focus on spatial vulnerability & health
– Social vulnerability generally not taken into account
– Procedural justice not investigated
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Scotland’s adaptation commitments
• Scottish Ministers must lay programme before parliament and report annually on progress and independent scrutiny
• Public bodies are required to exercise their functions in a way that helps deliver the programme (evidence base, skills and tools, integration)
• Sustainable land use strategy
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Socially Just Adaptation to Climate Change
• Study Objectives– Explore existing approaches to local adaptation
to climate change impacts and how these take account of social justice
– Support the development of just local responses through recommendations for policy and practice
• Methodology– Theoretical review, survey of adaptation plans,
case studies
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Just adaptation principles
• Understanding current & future climate change impacts• Understanding factors that contribute to vulnerability• Identifying distribution of vulnerability – not a static state• Involving those communities most likely to be affected• Addressing specific implications for vulnerable groups &
developing targeted adaptation activities• Developing range of responses – adaptive capacity &
actions, physical infrastructure & service delivery• Being aware of trade-offs, minimise negative impacts for
vulnerable communities• Assess all adaptation options to select optimal choice
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Adaptation Plans
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Highland Case Study
• coastal and rural facing issues of coastal realignment, fluvial flooding, extreme weather and landslides
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Climate Change Adaptation Strategy
• Map opportunities and threats of climate impacts
• Identify most vulnerable individuals, communities and sectors
• Develop community adaptation pilot
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Integrating adaptation planning
• Web page showing detailed list of responsibilities for Flood Risk– SG, SEPA, THC, Scottish Water, Police, Fire
and Rescue, Met Office, Transport Scotland, Scottish Flood Forum, Landowner, Home owners
• Gairloch and Loch Ewe
community adaptation plan
• Equality Forum Road Show
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Key messages from research ‘Socially Just Adaptation to Climate Change’
• Need for socially just adaptation accepted & welcomed– Easier to deliver when both climate change &
equalities agendas given high priority• Building adaptive capacity evident in corporate plans &
strategies, but . . . – Driven by climate change officers, less evidence in
other services• Just adaptation best achieved through responses
targeted at & developed with vulnerable communities– But action needs to be taken locally - consider
language, economic arguments & role of others
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Key messages (cont)
• Technical, GIS solutions useful for mapping vulnerability– Care needs to be taken re: blight & data protection
• UK National priority for climate change adaptation not reflected consistently at local level
• Linking practice back to theory– Future climate change impact planning is evident
through mechanisms such as LCLIPs & CCRAs– Evidence of understanding & identification of
vulnerability - but action focused on vulnerability due to spatial location or health
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Key messages (cont)
• Procedural justice/community involvement most evident in Highland – community planning in practice
• Responses tend to focus on building adaptive capacity rather than action
• Limited awareness of trade-offs & distribution of costs/benefits & impact on vulnerable communities
• Consideration of options built into adaptation planning - but not focused on outcomes for vulnerable communities
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Conclusions• Socially just adaptation is a complex process
• Will take time to embed into policy & practice
• Climate change adaptation has more profile at UK/ national government level than locally• But local action needed to meet national objectives
• More needs to be done to share good practice, encourage commitment & action, & enable effective delivery• Importance of language, promoting cost savings & moral/social
issues• Going beyond spatial vulnerability and health
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Improving Adaptation in Scotland
• Key areas– Education & communication including use of language,
understanding the agenda, opportunities & negative impacts– Mainstreaming socially just adaptation across Government,
national organisations, local authorities & other local bodies– Collaborative working at local & national levels but with a clear
definition of roles & responsibilities– Involvement of vulnerable communities in the development &
delivery of climate change adaptation to embed social justice– Sharing knowledge & best practice to address varied standards
of adaptation across the UK & engender collective improvement
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Thank you
Jean Welstead
Technical Director
SLR Consulting Ltd
Email: [email protected]
Mob: +44 7788 316612
Tel: +44 131 3356830
Address: 4 The Roundal, Roddinglaw Business Park, Gogar, Edinburgh, EH12 9DB, United Kingdom