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

Chapter 5
5.52
leaders within them, are to be properly supported in embedding adaptation. There are both
vulnerabilities and opportunities associated with climate change. Adaptation is about ‘doing the
day job differently and better’ rather than simply being an additional burden.
There is considerable scope for leaders to learn from others who are pioneering mitigation and
adaptation in the UK, Europe and other parts of the world. The Commission has noted that
networks, such as the C40 Cities Climate Leadership Groupiv at the international level or the
Nottingham Declaration Partnership v at the national level, can and should be used as a means
of sharing information and good practice. To be effective these networks need to be supported
and resourced appropriately.
INCREASING KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS
5.53 The learning organisation we refer to at 5.50 (and 4.113) must invest in training and professional
learning about climate change adaptation. The learning must be factored into everyday work and
must be done now if we are to have the capacity to adapt to current and future climate. It is crucial
that this investment takes place at all levels of an organisation. In addition, adaptation must be
integrated into school and university curricula to ensure that there is a steady stream of skilled
people available in future years.
5.54
5.55
5.56
The 2009 Climate Projections (UKCP09) are the major information resource for adaptation in
the UK. The Commission believes that they are a valuable resource, if used appropriately. Organisations
such as the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) and the regional and devolved
climate change partnerships can also be invaluable in helping organisations to improve their
understanding of adaptation and to develop adaptation strategies. The Commission is concerned
that the resources provided to support these institutions are not commensurate with the scale of
the adaptation challenge. The Commission recommends that Government should ensure
that the UK capability to produce and interpret climate change projections is maintained
and enhanced.
Governments should ensure that professional training on awareness of climate change is included
in programmes for the development of the Senior Civil Service as they are the professional
managers of the public sector. It is also important to raise awareness for business professionals.
The Commission recommends that the governments and UKCIP work with professional
institutions (for example, those bodies representing planners and engineers) to
create continuing professional development that increases understanding of the need for
adaptation. Where appropriate, they should also work with professional institutions to support
the inclusion of climate change adaptation within relevant higher education syllabi, including
those developed by business schools.
Many organisations will rely on external contracted expertise to help understand what UKCP09
means for them and how it should be applied to their business. The Commission has already
observed that the information provided by the climate projections needs to be properly
iv The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is a group of the world’s largest cities committed to tackling climate change.
It was established in October 2005 when representatives of 18 leading world cities met in London to discuss joining
forces to tackle global warming and climate change (see: http://www.c40cities.org/; accessed November 2009).
v The Nottingham Declaration was launched in October 2000 in Nottingham. By signing the Declaration, councils
and their partners pledge to systematically address the causes of climate change and to prepare their community
for its impacts. The Declaration has now been signed by more than 300 English councils (see: http://www.
energysavingtrust.org.uk/nottingham; accessed November 2009).
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