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

Appendix A
The Royal Commission operates on the basis of transparency and it is our normal practice for all
evidence sent to us to be made publicly available. The most likely method of such dissemination is
through publication on the Commission’s website. If for any reason you do not wish us to make your
name, organisation (if any) or your response (in full or in part) publicly available, then please make this
clear in your response so that we can take it into account.
Throughout these questions, where the term ‘natural environment’ is used, please provide answers
referring to the three exemplars (biodiversity, nature conservation and protected areas; sea level and
coastal zones; freshwater).
The questions are broadly organised into the following categories:
Adaptation – General Questions
Definitions and terminology;
Range of climate change;
Awareness of adaptation to climate change;
The relationship between adaptation and mitigation; and
Climate change in the broader context.
The Natural Environment
Resilience of the natural environment;
Natural responses and thresholds;
Institutional arrangements for environmental conservation;
Values relating to the natural environment; and
Opportunities presented by the changing natural environment.
Institutional Arrangements and Capacities
Institutional adaptive capacity; and
European, national and regional approaches.
QUESTIONS INVITING FORMAL WRITTEN EVIDENCE
Adaptation – General Questions
Definitions and terminolog y
Q1) The RCEP needs to have a clear view of the terms it should use for the study – is the IPCCi view
of adaptation adequate (see below)? Are there alternative views of adaptation to climate change
that the RCEP should be considering?
(The IPCC definition is “Adaptation is the adjustment in natural or human systems in response to actual or expected
climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or exploits beneficial opportunities” – for a fuller definition,
including anticipatory, autonomous and planned adaptation, see section on Definitions later).
i IPCC: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
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