Twenty-eighth Report Adapting Institutions to Climate Change Cm ...

Chapter 4
assess their performance against this indicator have looked deeply at the challenge of adaptation,
such as Hampshire County Council (Box 4C). In doing so, they have tended to score their
performance as lower than that of others who have not engaged in as much detail with the issue.
Clearly, the challenge is to raise awareness and knowledge in all local authorities. The opportunity
to share this kind of information is a valuable part of the learning process. The local government
associations have recognised the need for a more integrated approach and have disseminated
guidance and initiated pilot projects linking local authorities and national agencies in order to
develop regional approaches to climate change adaptation.
4.108 An online survey of public sector organisations carried out on behalf of the Trades Union
Congress (TUC) during 2008 pointed out that the introduction of NI188 in England had
stimulated a wide range of adaptation activities in local government. 68 The Government’s
Adapting to Climate Change Programme recognises the need to provide support and guidance
to local authorities and to stimulate networking to encourage ‘bottom-up’ learning. Since 2008,
the Programme has worked with several partners (including UKCIP, the Environment Agency,
the Government Office network and the Local and Regional Adaptation Partnership (LRAP)
Board) to disseminate information through regional workshops. The TUC study concluded that
local authorities which had engaged with UKCIP previously were much more likely to have
carried out vulnerability studies or climate change risk assessments, and were more likely to have
embarked on a communications programme. 69
4.109 The Audit Commission, through its Comprehensive Area Assessment, has a strong interest in the
performances of local authorities, and is keen to encourage the sharing of best practice. The Audit
Commission’s submission to the Commission recognised the challenges in providing assurances
on the responses of local authorities to NI188, particularly as the indicator is currently process
based not outcome based. 70 The Audit Commission has proposed a specific study on adaptation
to climate change as part of its future national study programme.
4.110 The role of the planning system in monitoring adaptation progress has been recognised in England
in the climate change supplement to Planning Policy Statement (PPS) 1. 71 Indicators should be
selected by planning bodies to allow for monitoring and reporting in annual monitoring reports.
4.111 The Scotland and Northern Ireland Forum for Environmental Research (SNIFFER) works to
conduct research and horizon scanning, and to share knowledge across two of the countries
of the UK. 72 SNIFFER also acts as the Secretariat for the Northern Ireland Climate Change
Impacts Partnership (NICCIP) and the Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership (SCCIP).
There are also regional climate partnerships throughout England; these provide a valuable
platform for a range of organisations to come together to discuss their experiences, challenges
and aims with regards to climate change; importantly, the membership of these partnerships
spans the public, private and third sectors. Similar functions are performed in Wales by the
Welsh Climate Change Commission.
4.112 The cross-government Adapting to Climate Change (ACC) Programme for England is a major
initiative focusing on adaptation. One of the key roles of this Programme is to generate information
where it is currently lacking, and to share information. Also important is the Adaptation Programme
Board (a cross-Whitehall body which champions and promotes adaptation) because adaptation
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