Local climate change adaptation responses and social justice

Jean Welstead

13/9/12

Introduction

• Understanding social justice in climate change• Relevance of climate adaptation to local authorities and

organisations• Roles and responsibilities• Key messages from research ‘Socially Just Adaptation to

Climate Change’• Recommendations

Understanding social justice in climate change

• Defra definition ‘Adaptation means changing our behaviour to respond to both the projected and current impacts of climate change’

• Building adaptive capacity – framework for action• Delivering adaptive actions – reduce vulnerability, exploit

opportunities• Ensuring socially just adaptation requires:

– Understanding of which groups are most vulnerable to climate change impacts

– Appropriate adaptation to ensure that their needs are met

Social justice issues

• Adaptation planning can aggravate inequalities• Social issues related to adaptation are diverse &

contextually specific• Importance of addressing both procedural & distributive

justice– Procedural – empowering communities to become

involved in decision-making– Distributive – distribution of income, assets &

opportunities

Relevance of climate adaptation to

local authorities and organisations

Policy drivers

• UK Government priority– activity to be driven locally

– But public sector funding cuts

• Not just a local authority responsibility

– Environment Agency, SEPA, NIEA, Single Body

– NHS/Public Health bodies

– Transport providers & private sector

– Housing associations & third sector

• Most policies refer to social justice implications but . . .

– focus on spatial vulnerability & health

– Social vulnerability generally not taken into account

– Procedural justice not investigated

Scotland’s adaptation commitments

• Scottish Ministers must lay programme before parliament and report annually on progress and independent scrutiny

• Public bodies are required to exercise their functions in a way that helps deliver the programme (evidence base, skills and tools, integration)

• Sustainable land use strategy

Socially Just Adaptation to Climate Change

• Study Objectives– Explore existing approaches to local adaptation

to climate change impacts and how these take account of social justice

– Support the development of just local responses through recommendations for policy and practice

• Methodology– Theoretical review, survey of adaptation plans,

case studies

Just adaptation principles

• Understanding current & future climate change impacts• Understanding factors that contribute to vulnerability• Identifying distribution of vulnerability – not a static state• Involving those communities most likely to be affected• Addressing specific implications for vulnerable groups &

developing targeted adaptation activities• Developing range of responses – adaptive capacity &

actions, physical infrastructure & service delivery• Being aware of trade-offs, minimise negative impacts for

vulnerable communities• Assess all adaptation options to select optimal choice

Adaptation Plans

Highland Case Study

• coastal and rural facing issues of coastal realignment, fluvial flooding, extreme weather and landslides

Climate Change Adaptation Strategy

• Map opportunities and threats of climate impacts

• Identify most vulnerable individuals, communities and sectors

• Develop community adaptation pilot

Integrating adaptation planning

• Web page showing detailed list of responsibilities for Flood Risk– SG, SEPA, THC, Scottish Water, Police, Fire

and Rescue, Met Office, Transport Scotland, Scottish Flood Forum, Landowner, Home owners

• Gairloch and Loch Ewe

community adaptation plan

• Equality Forum Road Show

Key messages from research ‘Socially Just Adaptation to Climate Change’

• Need for socially just adaptation accepted & welcomed– Easier to deliver when both climate change &

equalities agendas given high priority• Building adaptive capacity evident in corporate plans &

strategies, but . . . – Driven by climate change officers, less evidence in

other services• Just adaptation best achieved through responses

targeted at & developed with vulnerable communities– But action needs to be taken locally - consider

language, economic arguments & role of others

Key messages (cont)

• Technical, GIS solutions useful for mapping vulnerability– Care needs to be taken re: blight & data protection

• UK National priority for climate change adaptation not reflected consistently at local level

• Linking practice back to theory– Future climate change impact planning is evident

through mechanisms such as LCLIPs & CCRAs– Evidence of understanding & identification of

vulnerability - but action focused on vulnerability due to spatial location or health

Key messages (cont)

• Procedural justice/community involvement most evident in Highland – community planning in practice

• Responses tend to focus on building adaptive capacity rather than action

• Limited awareness of trade-offs & distribution of costs/benefits & impact on vulnerable communities

• Consideration of options built into adaptation planning - but not focused on outcomes for vulnerable communities

Conclusions• Socially just adaptation is a complex process

• Will take time to embed into policy & practice

• Climate change adaptation has more profile at UK/ national government level than locally• But local action needed to meet national objectives

• More needs to be done to share good practice, encourage commitment & action, & enable effective delivery• Importance of language, promoting cost savings & moral/social

issues• Going beyond spatial vulnerability and health

Improving Adaptation in Scotland

• Key areas– Education & communication including use of language,

understanding the agenda, opportunities & negative impacts– Mainstreaming socially just adaptation across Government,

national organisations, local authorities & other local bodies– Collaborative working at local & national levels but with a clear

definition of roles & responsibilities– Involvement of vulnerable communities in the development &

delivery of climate change adaptation to embed social justice– Sharing knowledge & best practice to address varied standards

of adaptation across the UK & engender collective improvement

Thank you

Jean Welstead 

Technical Director

SLR Consulting Ltd

Email: jwelstead@slrconsulting.com

Mob: +44 7788 316612

Tel: +44 131 3356830

Address: 4 The Roundal, Roddinglaw Business Park, Gogar, Edinburgh, EH12 9DB, United Kingdom