London scoping - ukcip

Impact Area Possible
Increase or
decrease in
equality
Individuals and communities:
heat stress
Individuals and communities:
crime
Individuals and communities:
lifestyle changes
Final Report
210
Description of Impact
Decrease An increase in heat related deaths and illness episodes
would particularly affect the elderly, sick and those without
access to air conditioning or other forms of cooling.
Decrease At times of disruption (such as flooding) opportunistic crime
can increase. This is likely to be greater in areas that are
already more prone to crime.
Increase More active, outdoors lifestyles and healthier diets
consisting of fresh fruit and vegetables could both be more
feasible across the social spectrum. The least well-off
would probably benefit the most from such changes.
8.4 Climate Change and Policy Making for London
There are a number of policy processes that are ongoing in London that will need to consider
the potential impacts of climate change. Many of these have been explored in the preceding
sections. This section summarises the main policy processes and the nature of the climate
change issues related to them. It makes recommendations on how climate change should inform
further policy and strategy development.
The main strategy, policy and planning processes related to climate change in London include:
• The draft London Plan - the spatial development plan for London;
• The London Development Agency’s economic development strategy;
• The Environment Agency’s strategic processes including those for water resources,
flood defence and water quality;
• Water companies’ planning processes; and
• Others including local authorities, the Thames Gateway London Partnership, the
Thames Estuary Partnership and the London Biodiversity Partnership.
These are examined in more detail below.
8.4.1 The Draft London Plan
The Greater London Authority’s spatial development strategy ‘The draft London Plan’ puts
forward policies that set the framework for land use and related issues in London for the next
15-20 years. The Plan is at the draft stage and the public consultation phase closed on 30 th
September 2002. Once published, boroughs’ unitary development plans must be in ‘general
conformity’ with the Plan. The Plan estimates that the following could characterise London by
2016:
• Population is projected to reach 8.1 million, 700,000 more than today. The make
up of London’s population is projected to change with more young people, many
more people from black and minority ethnic communities and more young