Green Infrastructure to Combat Climate Change: A Framework for ...

Executive Summary
The latest scientific evidence has reinforced the
fact that climate change is the greatest threat
to our social well being and economic future.
It is imperative that we all take what action we
can now in order to both reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and ensure that our communities are
adapting to anticipated climate change.
Green infrastructure provides a range of services
that make both a substantial contribution
towards climate change adaptation and a limited
yet important contribution towards climate
change mitigation. Such natural interventions
are increasingly being recognised as a desirable
‘win-win’ approach to combating climate change,
as they also help to deliver multiple other social,
economic and environmental benefits.
This Framework for Action has been developed
under the auspices of the North West Climate
Change Action Plan, with Community Forests
Northwest commissioned by the Northwest
Regional Development Agency on behalf of
the Northwest Climate Change Partnership. The
work was supported through the EU Interreg
IVC GRaBS (Green and Blue Space Adaptation
for Urban Areas and Eco Towns) project. 114
people from 75 organisations helped to shape the
Framework by taking part in the consultation.
This Framework is a guidance document to be used
by stakeholders across Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater
Manchester, Lancashire, and Merseyside to influence
and provide evidence for policy and delivery on this
crucial and long term agenda. Its success depends
upon all stakeholders taking ownership of and
working in partnership to champion, tailor for their
needs, embed into policy, and deliver the actions
that are relevant to them. Indeed, climate change
and green infrastructure are both cross-cutting,
so this Framework adds value to the delivery of a
broad range of agendas, including development and
regeneration, low carbon economy, transport, health,
recreation, tourism, agriculture, and biodiversity.
The Framework should be delivered by a broad range
of organisations and professions. Organisations
include public agencies and service providers,
local authorities, environmental, community
and voluntary-sector organisations and nongovernmental
organisations, and those with remits
for the agendas set out above. Professions include
planners and investment decision makers, transport
planners, developers, urban designers, landscape
architects, engineers, foresters, conservationists,
farmers, and tourism managers. Many of the actions
will be delivered cumulatively by land owners and
managers. This includes both larger, public sector,
and easier to reach owners such as local authorities,
as well as smaller, private sector, businesses,
individuals and harder to reach land owners;
organisations that engage with and provide grants to
the latter group will be increasingly important.
Delivery will largely be at three levels: pan-authority
(or sub/city region), district, and neighbourhood.
The pan-authority level is critical, but the best
results will be achieved when delivery takes place
across all three levels. In addition, existing green
infrastructure networks in the North West of England,
such as the Green Infrastructure Unit and Green
Infrastructure Forum, should provide an ongoing
support and coordination role, helping to promote
the implementation of this and associated green
infrastructure frameworks, including the exchange of
best practice.
The Framework sets out a number of actions to
achieve the vision described overleaf.
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