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

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underpin the need for the governance of innovation as opposed to the simple governance of risk.
Not only is adaptation to climate change an issue of significant uncertainty and complexity but
there is a need to deliver both equity and efficiency (4.28-4.42).
So, our final observation is that institutions need to recognise that climate change is a social,
political and normative challenge as much as a purely technical or environmental challenge.
Institutions need to be sensitive to the values that may be embedded in assumptions about, for
example, acceptable levels of risk and the appropriate distribution of the costs and benefits of
climate change and of adaptation strategies. We have discussed this particularly in the context of
issues of equity in relation to coastal zone management (3.72-3.94).
THE ADAPTATION SUB-COMMITTEE
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It will be apparent that the Commission is placing much emphasis upon the possible role of the
Adaptation Sub-Committee. The Sub-Committee’s precise remit, roles and responsibilities are
not yet fully defined. Therefore we recognise the need for the Sub-Committee to determine the
extent to which it is equipped to perform effectively the tasks which we identify. In the event
that the Sub-Committee does not consider itself the appropriate body to perform these tasks, the
Commission recommends that another body with adequate resources and expertise be charged
with fulfilling these functions.
To summarise, the Commission has addressed the following recommendations to the Adaptation
Sub-Committee, which should be read in the light of the paragraph above:
the Sub-Committee should be responsible for ensuring that appropriate and transparent
systems of accountability are in place for monitoring compliance with a general adaptation
duty imposed on public bodies (5.22);
the Sub-Committee should evaluate and ensure the adequacy of the arrangements which apply
to bodies which meet Defra’s criteria for priority reporting bodies but are excluded from
Defra’s initial list of those required to report (5.24);
the Sub-Committee should scrutinise planning policy guidance to assess and advise on the
recognition within spatial planning of the importance of adapting to climate change. The
Sub-Committee should also scrutinise the activities of the Infrastructure Planning Commission
in the context of adaptation to climate change (5.37);
in the context of the recommendation that organisations, including those subject to statutory
duties, should review and where necessary revise their mission and objectives from an
adaptation perspective, the Adaptation Sub-Committee should scrutinise the reviews of
priority reporting authorities, and where necessary recommend revisions to their mission
and objectives (5.40); and
the Sub-Committee should explore the range of options available to address issues such as the
loss of community, business and employment, and the disruption to health, educational and
social services, which may be a direct or indirect consequence of climate change (5.64).
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Chapter 5