Committee on Climate Change

Wales

The Welsh Government’s Climate Change Strategy, was published in October 2010, and outlines the Welsh Government’s approach to reducing emissions across the range of sectors, and also presents an adaptation framework and delivery plan, aimed at making Wales more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

The CCC and ASC were asked by the Welsh Environment Minister for a report reviewing progress against measures to reduce emissions and preparing for climate change. This advice was published in October 2011 in a letter to the Minister John Griffiths and an accompanying report.

On adaptation, the report concludes that Welsh Government has a good framework in place and has started to deliver on some of the key measures in the last year, focusing mainly on building capacity within organisations and ensuring policies in priority areas factor climate change into their decision making. Over the coming year, it will be important to start to implement actions to encourage the uptake of low-regrets measures and ensure that decisions with long-term consequences are explicitly considering the costs and opportunities from a changing climate and responding appropriately.

Further information on Wales’ action to reduce emissions can be found here

Scotland

The ASC was asked by the Scottish Government to undertake an evaluation of how well Scotland is preparing for climate change. This report provides an independent assessment of Scotland’s preparedness for climate change, based on the ASC’s preparedness ladder. The aim of the report is to help inform the development of Scotland’s first statutory Adaptation Programme and to provide a baseline to measure future progress.

Northern Ireland

The ASC is currently in discussions with the Department of Environment (NI) to decide what support and advice they will provide.