The Government has published a National Adaptation Programme ‘Progress Check’ to outline the initial priorities to help the UK meet the challenges of climate change and become ‘Climate Ready.’
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is responsible for developing a National Adaptation Programme to address the risks set out in the first UK Climate Change Risk Assessment of January 2012. The first National Adaptation Programme will be published in 2013 and will focus on helping UK businesses, local authorities and civil society to become more resilient or ‘Climate Ready’ to climate change impacts.
The National Adaptation Programme will reflect new and ongoing policies within Government which are being proofed against climate risks, but equally Defra wants to encourage awareness and action beyond central government players and capture these activities in the document.
Defra is working alongside businesses, local authorities and civil society to ‘co-create’ the National Adaptation Programme. Through co-creation, Defra hopes to stimulate innovative policymaking and to empower a wide variety of non-government organisations to take responsibility for finding the best solutions for their sector.
The National Adaptation Programme will be reviewed every five years to address the most pressing climate change risks to the UK.
Defra Minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach said:
“I am pleased to publish a short report on our progress in co-creating the National Adaptation Programme as part of work to develop a Climate Ready UK. This reflects work so far, that has already involved a wide range of stakeholders. It sets out our general approach and the priorities for each theme.
“We would very much like to receive comments from stakeholders on what is set out in the report, ideas about areas to further develop and offers to contribute from organisations that haven’t been involved so far.
“I and the Climate Ready team look forward to further collaborative work to develop the National Adaptation Programme as we look towards publication in 2013.”
You can read the report here.
To comment on the initial priorities in the progress check, email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it by 14 September 2012.
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