Health and wellbeing in a changing climate

Jemma Knowles Climate SouthWest Project OfficerJim Hodgson Climate Change Advisor, Climate Ready Support Service

Overview

Jemma• Changing climate: impacts on a local level• Local support availableJim• The Climate Ready support service• New toolkit for health and wellbeing boards

What we have seen so far

Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate

2014: flooding and...?2000: flooding

2001: flooding

2003: heat wave

2005: flooding

2006: droughtheat wave

2008: floodingsnow & ice

2007: flooding

2009: floodingsnow & ice

2010: floodingsnow & ice

2012: droughtflooding

2013: heat wavefloodingstorm

2000: flooding

2001: flooding

2005: flooding

2006: droughtheat wave

2008: floodingsnow & ice

2007: flooding

2009: floodingsnow & ice

2010: floodingsnow & ice

2012: droughtflooding

2013: heat waveflooding

storm

What we can expect by 2050s

Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate

Overall increase in temperature 2.7°C

Increased winter precipitation 17%

Decreased summer precipitation 20%

Rising sea levels 26-29cm

More frequent & intense extreme weather

Impacts for health

Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate

Challenges• Increased heat related deaths• Increased deaths & admissions associated

with ground level ozone• Increase in death & injury from flooding &

storms• Increase in flood-related mental health

issues• Increased ground level UV

Opportunities• Increased physical recreation,

reduction in obesity & CHD• Decrease in cold-related deaths• Fewer cold related admissions• Healthier lifestyles

Service delivery: impacts & response

Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate

Risk to Examples of adaptive response

Estate/building & supporting infrastructure (transport)Vehicles/equipment

Natural ventilationCool spotsGreen infrastructure, SuDSMedications keep at right temperature

Rise in fuel, energy, water, food costsWater supplySupply chain, transport

Resource efficiencyIdentification of alternatives

Workforce – accessibility, wellbeing Vector disease migrationPatient comfort

Staff access considerationsTraining and guidance on response to extreme weather eventsTransport planningAdaptation inclusion in emergency and contingency plans

Social impactsVulnerable communities

Information, targeted warning systemsChange in behaviours

Climate UK network

Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate

Climate SouthWest

Building resilience to extreme weather and a changing climate

www.climatesouthwest.orginfo@climatesouthwest.org

@ClimateSW

Climate Ready Support Service3 year programme launched in 2012Part of Government's wider adaptation programmeAim: to help ‘key sectors increase their resilience to climate risks’ by incorporating climate risk management into routine business decision-making:

Primarily working in partnership and through others

Builds on our corporate objective to integrate adaptation into everything we do

Climate Ready Support ServiceTwo key components:

Free, independent online advice and support via:www.environment-agency.gov.uk/climateready

Tailored support and partnership workingto help key sectors adapt:

• Business & services• Infrastructure• Natural environment • Built environment • Local government• Health & wellbeing• Agriculture & forestry

Climate Ready and the NAP

Theme Relevant NAP objectives for LAs

Local Government

• Raise the profile of adaptation with LA’s and promote action• Support local government to build a business case for action• Local government policy framework supports climate resilience • Support sector led activities to address local climate challenges

Healthy and resilient communities

• Promote climate resilience to organisations in the health sector• Encourage resilience within the health system and its operations• Reduce health impacts related to climate change e.g. heatwaves• Improve the resilience of groups vulnerable to climate impacts

Built Environment

• Developing skills to understand and manage climate risks• Providing decision tools to help developers promote adaptation• Ensuring new development is resilient to future flood risk• Increasing the resilience of homes and buildings to climate risks

National Adaptation Delivery Group

Adaptation in the new health & social care systemIntervention / Action Benefit

Climate ready JSNA & JHWSPromotion of extreme weather preparedness

Future proofingBetter health outcomesSocial VulnerabilityMeeting the NAP objectives

Climate ready commissioning plans NHS Commissioning Board Business continuity management framework

Commissioning board emergency preparedness frameworkEPRR core standards

Board approved SDMP Public Health Outcomes Framework 3.6

All of above Adaptation Reporting PowerMulti-agency planning a preparation for response (including through LRFs)

Combating fuel poverty Buildings better prepared for heatwaves

Adaptation Toolkit – coming soon• Responding to specific needs of those

in the health and social care system

• Profiling adaptation as part of core business

• informed by stakeholders (10 councils)

• How to assess risk to changing climate

• How to enable action

• How to test JSNA

• Case studies