Committee on Climate Change

Lord Krebs, Chair of the ASC presented the ASC’s first report to Scottish Government on 24th November at Our Dynamic Earth Centre in Edinburgh.

This first independent assessment finds that the Scottish Government has made a good start in raising awareness of what climate change is likely to mean for people’s health, Scotland’s economy and its internationally important natural heritage. However, the report finds that over coming decades, Scotland could become increasingly vulnerable to impacts of climate change unless it strengthens measures to adapt. It will be important that the Scottish Government now builds on existing foundations to ensure that its adaptation framework is actively addressing the risks from a changing climate:

• In some critical areas it is not clear how long-term climate impacts are being taken into account, for example in planning and designing new national infrastructure such as Scotland’s renewable energy programme.
• There is a mixed picture on the uptake of adaptation measures.   For example high numbers of sustainable drainage systems have been installed in new development but there is a low uptake of flood protection measures in existing buildings.
• The adaptation framework does not give sufficient weight to Scotland’s contribution to global efforts to safeguard approximately 1.8 billion tonnes carbon stored in its peatlands.

The report shows that climate change will present both opportunities and potential vulnerabilities for Scotland. To enable vulnerabilities to be managed and exploit opportunities the ASC recommend that Scottish Government strengthens adaptation in some policy areas, enables key decision makers consider adaptation in the long-term and ensure policies have clear outcomes and are evaluated appropriately.

Lord John Krebs, Chair of the Adaptation Sub-Committee said:

“While at first glance it may appear that Scotland will not be significantly affected by climate change and may see some benefits, it has a number of characteristics that mean it could be vulnerable to a changing climate in the future.  It is important that the Scottish Government now focus on understanding how its policies will address the risks from climate change by managing these vulnerabilities,  increasing its resilience, and taking advantages of any opportunities”.

Scottish Climate Change Minister Stewart Stevenson said:
 
“Taking action on climate change is one of my top priorities. Our climate – which we know  is already changing – affects people’s health, our road and rail services, water supplies, energy demands, tourism – the list is almost endless. Therefore, it is important we have a well prepared, resilient, strong Scotland.

“That’s why the Scottish Government asked the Committee on Climate Change to undertake this assessment. The Committee has identified particular areas where they feel adaptation action could be better integrated in Scotland and we will consider these areas further – both now and as we develop the Scotland’s first Adaptation Programme.”

The recommendations are set out in the ASC’s first report to Scottish Government ‘How well is Scotland preparing for climate change?’

Read the full report here. Read the press release here.