Yorkshire & Humber Climate Change Adaptation

adaptation overview

Background
Regional
Sub-Regional
Local Detail

This section provides a summary overview of some of the key adaptations arising from the impacts assessments. As most sectors and issues are common to all sub-regions, albeit with some examples and with different levels of priority, these overviews address significant adaptations only. They are not intended to be comprehensive and should not be read in isolation. More detail relating to adaptations within a particular sector of interest can be found in the sections of this site which address the following themes:

Flooding;
Coastal Erosion;
Groundwater and Minewater;
Business and Economy;
Public and voluntary services;
Infrastructure and utilities;
Biodiversity;
Health and welfare.

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A large number of sector-specific adaptation mechanisms have been identified throughout this study and are laid out in the sectoral/thematic pages of this site. These are not repeated here, and readers are instead directed to those sections.

However through the thematic studies a number of common overarching themes and activities emerged. A number of activities thought to be standing in the way of successfully implementing actions to tackle climate change have also been highlighted below. Finally, this section concludes by offering five overarching actions which could be applied to enable climate adaptation to be delivered within and across a number of sectors.

In order to address the current low levels of specific information relating to climate vulnerability there is a need to encourage and develop processes to Monitor assess and respond to change. Many adaptation actions will rely initially on identifying vulnerability through monitoring. Early identification and assessment of weaknesses in particular services, buildings or activities means that appropriate and necessary action can be built into routine upgrade and maintenance programmes, rather than relying on more expensive reactive actions. This is a more cost effective means of adapting to future change and reducing the risks associated with the future climate.

Guidance and dissemination. Information relating to the nature of climate change, impacts on different areas, and adaptation activities available, is being released regularly. Successful actions must be based on the best available information but mechanisms for ensuring the wide circulation and awareness of this information, within sectors to ensure it is of most relevance, are crucial. Information is relevant at the local, regional, global and sectoral levels, and identifying trusted sources of information is critical.

Innovation. Many sectors can build resilience and adapt to climate change through moving away from traditional techniques, markets and crops or products. Whilst early movement has the potential to gain market advantage, it is perceived as carrying an element of risk. These risks can be reduced through the application of research findings, pilot studies, and from adopting any learning from experiences elsewhere.

Opportunity. Regardless of the levels of innovation required climate change brings opportunities as well as potential challenges. Early identification of these opportunities, and positioning to maximise them, will bring advantages to the region and allow it to align future growth in a climate-adapted way. As well as looking to reduce risks, actions should also be designed to maximise these benefits.

Staged adaptation. Not all impacts require an immediate response, and a single big change is not always the safest or most cost-effective means of adapting to the gradual changes in climate. A more staged approach enables regular review, of markets and assets, but also of developing knowledge and best practices. Coordination of actions is key to this, but introducing changes incrementally also builds in flexibility. As such even long-term decisions do not lock the region into an unadapted future.

Alongside these, a number of factors have been identified as potentially blocking effective delivery of climate change adaptation.

Political and private sector understanding and will. Although tackling climate change is attractive, some necessary actions can be less so. Drive at the highest levels can vary, and in particular there is a strong perception of low private sector engagement within the region, despite business vulnerabilities and a potentially key role in delivering adaptation. Linked with this there is also felt to be a general resistance to innovation which, although playing a role in adaptation, can be high-risk. There are further concerns about inconsistent application of regulations, including in the planning system, standing in the way of climate adaptation.

Lack of coordination, responsibility and communication at a specific level. The nature of climate change means that it will affect almost everyone, within most sectors of society. Due to the number of stakeholders, the cross sectoral nature of many of the issues, and potentially competing objectives between stakeholders, there is a strong role for coordination at the regional, and at the sub-regional or sectoral/thematic levels.

Lack of communications, integration and engagement. Linked with coordination and understanding are perceived poor levels of communication about climate change challenges to many sectors within Yorkshire and the Humber. Low levels of information sharing between different sectors and networks are concerns, and are associated with insufficient advocacy at the appropriate level (regional, sub-regional and sectoral) to raise awareness, to make the case for action, and to drive adaptive action.

A lack of incentive has also been identified as affecting delivery. Due to the lower levels of understanding of benefits and risks associated with climate change, incentivisation may be required to encourage action that might be perceived as a risk. The is not necessarily financial, as business support and appropriate encouragement may also enable greater drive by organisations to address these issues.

Addressing these, and to enable delivery of more focussed, thematic climate change adaptation in a coherent and efficient way, we suggest that five overarching enabling factors are addressed.

Centralised coordination of climate change adaptation activity in the region. Operating at the regional level this should drive the consolidation of climate change work in Yorkshire and Humber, and delivery of actions against a prioritised and resourced climate change adaptation plan. This regularly-reviewed plan should encompass the other areas of enabling work. Further to this, a workshop carried out as part of the study discussed actions which can bring cross-sectoral benefits - these are given in the table at the bottom of this page and could be built into an adaptation plan.
Wider education and engagement of stakeholders and the public to ensure adaptive capacity is built into organisations and wider political structures. Stronger engagement could be facilitated through sectoral groups, established along the lines of this study or within existing structures. These will help ensure climate change impacts and adaptation measures are made relevant to all sectors. They can also ensure appropriate communication and information sharing, and coordinate delivery within and between sectors where appropriate, contributing to progressing the regional adaptation plan.
Collation and dissemination of an improved evidence base to support and enable greater engagement by businesses and organisations in particular. This evidence base should be made widely available and be used to support greater advocacy for change, coordinated through sectoral groups and aimed at building political and board level will, including lobbying for change at the national level. As well as drawing together existing and emerging guidance and information at the national and sectoral levels this evidence base should be augmented by targetted research including regional vulnerability/opportunity mapping. This can then enable adequate risk assessment, and allow a risk-based approach to prioritisation within the regional adaptation plan.
Identify, and fund where necessary, pilot schemes within the region but linked with national, European and international initiatives to trial innovative approaches to climate change adaptation. This would further contribute to the evidence base and such schemes can be used to overcome perceptions of risk associated with innovation, facilitating further change. They could also help in positioning the region as a leader in climate change adaptation in a range of sectors.
Delivery of climate change resilience through long-term planning, including infrastructure and spatial planning, will require greater integration of climate change awareness and understanding into planning structures and planners’ toolkits. Although linked with wider education, this reflects the importance with which delivering tangible climate change adaptation immediately is seen by regional stakeholders. The ongoing Regional Spatial Strategy review and Renaissance activity offer means for delivery. However, as with the key themes presented above, flexibility is critical so that approaches can be amended in the light of emerging information in what remains a developing field.

Strategically-delivered activities, identified as having the potential to bring wide-ranging benefits across a number of sectors, and which could be integrated into a resourced regional action plan, include:

Better manage all land to address drainage, water storage and flooding

Facilitate greater uptake of green infrastructure

Develop and encourage new crops and land management methods

Stimulate private sector involvement

Ensure climate change and regional priorities are aligned

Improve coordination within the region, within and between sectors, to raise awareness of resilience and develop approaches to climate adaptation

Optimise use of existing building stock, including encouraging retrofitting for climate adaptation

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As well as the more general region-wide adaptation measures, and the greater detail provided for the sectors considered in this study, a number of important points specific to this sub-region are raised.

Overarching all actions, the sub-region and its priority areas should ensure they are fully considered at the regional level, and contribute to wider efforts to coordinate climate change activity in the Yorkshire and Humber region. This would include addressing the five overaching enabling actions detailed at the regional level:

Centralised coordination of climate change adaptation activity and delivery of actions against a prioritised and resourced climate change adaptation plan.
Wider education and engagement of stakeholders and the public through sectoral groups to ensure adaptive capacity is built and appropriate communication, information sharing and delivery occurs.
Collation and dissemination of an improved evidence base, to support and enable greater engagement by businesses and organisations in particular, and including vulnerability/opportunity mapping to enable a risk-based approach.
Identify, and fund where necessary, pilot schemes to further contribute to the evidence base.
Greater integration of climate change awareness and understanding into planning structures and toolkits at the sub-regional level, and into Renaissance activity.

Development plans and strategies relating to the sub-region should be challenged against the best available information on climate change to ensure that they will deliver climate adapted outcomes. Particular areas for targetted consideration at the sub-regional level, building on the thematic studies, are:

Climate change adaptation needs to centre on providing resilience to the existing drainage system, flood and coastal defences, infrastructure and buildings based on an assessment of likely risks;
Promote research into new practices in agriculture and forestry, including new crops and tree provenances, and encourage and publicise their uptake;
Initiate pest control strategies to limit the spread of species that may have negative impacts on the sub-region’s agriculture, biodiversity or human health;
Promote the review and monitoring of impacts on fisheries, and ensure long-term investments are aligned to likely changes in catch over time;
Plan for the future increase in tourist numbers and ensure infrastructure is developed in order to limit negative stresses;
Monitor the occurrence of wildfires and if necessary respond with visitor education or greater restrictions on visitor movements and activities;
New developments should incorporate sufficient drainage capacity to accommodate increases in future rainfall and where possible should incorporate the latest techniques, such as sustainable drainage systems;
Buildings will need to be amended to make internal working conditions less oppressive during heatwaves. This could take the form of natural and mechanical ventilation – where low and zero carbon approaches should be encouraged - natural shading from trees and vegetation, and incorporation of water-bodies through SUDS;
Encourage broad private sector engagement with climate change and limit the likely negative impacts of climate change by encouraging local level risk assessments and remedial actions;
Ensure future plans for resourcing of emergency and health care services account for likely changing pressures;
Address existing causes of deprivation in rural and urban areas, targeting resources according to the index of multiple deprivation, in order to build wider community resilience;
Initiate maintenance and review of all critical infrastructure to identify any vulnerabilities to the changing climate. Integrate any necessary maintenance and upgrades into existing programmes; and
Ensure biodiversity interests and concerns are widely represented and accounted for to reduce cumulative stresses within the sub-region. Encourage wider monitoring, particularly of the sensitive habitats in the sub-region to contribute to the wider evidence base required to identify the nature and rate of climate change impacts.

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Centralised coordination of climate change adaptation activity and delivery of actions against a prioritised and resourced climate change adaptation plan.
Wider education and engagement of stakeholders and the public through sectoral groups to ensure adaptive capacity is built and appropriate communication, information sharing and delivery occurs.
Collation and dissemination of an improved evidence base, to support and enable greater engagement by businesses and organisations in particular, and including vulnerability/opportunity mapping to enable a risk-based approach.
Identify, and fund where necessary, pilot schemes to further contribute to the evidence base.
Greater integration of climate change awareness and understanding into planning structures and toolkits at the sub-regional level, and into Renaissance activity.

It is important that greater resilience is built into the existing drainage system, flood defences, infrastructure and buildings, based on an assessment of likely risks, particularly in the more heavily urbanised areas;
Where appropriate encourage and enable the adoption of flood resistance and resilience measures;
Continue to monitor minewaters, and where necessary support increased pumping to limit the risk of outbreaks;
Promote research into new practices in agriculture, and in particular any necessary changes in the management of upland grazing, and encourage their uptake. Ensure appropriate sub-regional contributions are made to wider pest management strategies;
Plan for the future increase in tourist numbers, particularly in more rural areas where negative impacts would be more likely to be felt;
Promote and circulate research and information into land and grounds management in the light of the changing climate to ensure investments, particularly in sports and amenity facilities, are flexible enough to cope with changing conditions;
Encourage local-level and industry-specific risk assessments and process review, possibly through application of a generic risk assessment tool, to identify vulnerable industrial processes. Build any necessary alterations into existing maintenance cycles;
New developments should incorporate sufficient drainage capacity to accommodate increases in future rainfall and where possible should incorporate the latest techniques, such as sustainable drainage systems;
Buildings will need to be amended to make internal working conditions less oppressive during heatwaves. This could take the form of natural and mechanical ventilation – where low and zero carbon approaches should be encouraged - natural shading from trees and vegetation, and incorporation of water-bodies;
Logistics and distribution parks should adopt surface water management strategies and be designed with fully-integrated sustainable drainage systems to limit the risk of urban flooding and consequent spread of contamination;
Ensure biodiversity interests and concerns are widely represented and accounted for to reduce cumulative stresses within the sub-region. Encourage wider monitoring, particularly of the sensitive habitats in the sub-region to contribute to the wider evidence base required to identify the nature and rate of climate change impacts;
Ensure future plans for resourcing of emergency and health care services account for likely changing pressures;
Promote wider education about the health risks associated with poor air quality and rising temperatures, to build community resilience to a likely future impact on these more urban areas;
Address existing causes of deprivation in rural and urban areas, targeting resources according to the index of multiple deprivation, in order to build wider community resilience; and
Initiate reviews of the sub-region’s critical infrastructure to identify any vulnerabilities to the changing climate, and integrate necessary maintenance and upgrades into existing programmes.

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Centralised coordination of climate change adaptation activity and delivery of actions against a prioritised and resourced climate change adaptation plan.
Wider education and engagement of stakeholders and the public through sectoral groups to ensure adaptive capacity is built and appropriate communication, information sharing and delivery occurs.
Collation and dissemination of an improved evidence base, to support and enable greater engagement by businesses and organisations in particular, and including vulnerability/opportunity mapping to enable a risk-based approach.
Identify, and fund where necessary, pilot schemes to further contribute to the evidence base.
Greater integration of climate change awareness and understanding into planning structures and toolkits at the sub-regional level, and into Renaissance activity.

It is important that greater resilience is built into the existing drainage system, flood and coastal defences, infrastructure and buildings, based on an assessment of likely risks, particularly in the more heavily urbanised areas. Wider flood risk assessments should be carried out, and appropriate the adoption of flood resistance and resilience measures should be encouraged and enabled, particularly in low-lying areas such as Hull and other areas around the humber Estuary;
Critically, the impacts of rising sealevels and changing coastal processes must be considered in relation to Easington Gas Terminal, through the development of the Shoreline Management Plan 2;
Measures to develop resilience in the sub-region’s water supply, some of which is provided from an operation area which receives significantly less rainfall than the rest of the region, should be developed and their uptake progressed as a matter of urgency. This will also address concerns over groundwater availability in the chalk aquifer;
Promote research into new practices in agriculture, and encourage their uptake. Ensure appropriate sub-regional contributions are made to wider pest management strategies given the proximity of the Humber ports;
Initiate pest control strategies to limit the spread of species that may have negative impacts on the sub-region’s agriculture, biodiversity or human health;
Promote the review and monitoring of impacts on fisheries, and ensure long-term investments are aligned to likely changes in catch over time;
Ensure biodiversity interests and concerns are widely represented and accounted for to reduce cumulative stresses within the sub-region. Encourage wider monitoring, particularly of the sensitive habitats in the sub-region to contribute to the wider evidence base required to identify the nature and rate of climate change impacts;
Encourage local-level and industry-specific risk assessments and process review, possibly through application of a generic risk assessment tool, to identify vulnerable industrial processes. Build any necessary alterations into existing maintenance cycles;
Promote and circulate research and information into land and grounds management in the light of the changing climate to ensure investments, particularly in sports and amenity facilities, are flexible enough to cope with changing conditions. This should address measures such as suitable surfacing, as well as building in a lower dependence on piped water;
New developments should incorporate sufficient drainage capacity to accommodate increases in future rainfall and where possible should incorporate the latest techniques, such as sustainable drainage systems;
Logistics and distribution parks should adopt surface water management strategies and be designed with fully-integrated sustainable drainage systems to limit the risk of urban flooding and consequent spread of contamination;
Buildings will need to be amended to make internal working conditions less oppressive during heatwaves. This could take the form of natural and mechanical ventilation – where low and zero carbon approaches should be encouraged - natural shading from trees and vegetation, and incorporation of water-bodies through SUDS;
Promote and coordinate sub-regional responses to opportunities that may arise for research and advanced technology industries in responding to climate change and delivering adaptation and mitigation;
Plan for the future increase in tourist numbers, particularly in more rural areas where negative impacts would be more likely to be felt;
Promote wider education about the health risks associated with poor air quality and rising temperatures, to build community resilience to a likely future impact on these more urban areas;
Address existing causes of deprivation in rural and urban areas, targeting resources according to the index of multiple deprivation, in order to build wider community resilience; and
Initiate reviews of the sub-region’s critical infrastructure to identify any vulnerabilities to the changing climate, including flood risk and the potential for increased tidal incursion causing damage and disruption, and integrate necessary maintenance and upgrades into existing programmes.

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Centralised coordination of climate change adaptation activity and delivery of actions against a prioritised and resourced climate change adaptation plan.
Wider education and engagement of stakeholders and the public through sectoral groups to ensure adaptive capacity is built and appropriate communication, information sharing and delivery occurs.
Collation and dissemination of an improved evidence base, to support and enable greater engagement by businesses and organisations in particular, and including vulnerability/opportunity mapping to enable a risk-based approach.
Identify, and fund where necessary, pilot schemes to further contribute to the evidence base.
Greater integration of climate change awareness and understanding into planning structures and toolkits at the sub-regional level, and into Renaissance activity.

It is important that greater resilience is built into the existing drainage system, flood defences, infrastructure and buildings, based on an assessment of likely risks, particularly in the more heavily urbanised areas. Wider flood risk assessments should be carried out, and appropriate the adoption of flood resistance and resilience measures should be encouraged and enabled;
Initiate reviews of the sub-region’s critical infrastructure to identify any vulnerabilities to the changing climate, and integrate necessary maintenance and upgrades into existing programmes;
Promote research into new practices in agriculture, and encourage their uptake. Ensure appropriate sub-regional contributions are made to wider pest management strategies given the proximity of the Humber ports;
Encourage local-level and industry-specific risk assessments and process review, possibly through application of a generic risk assessment tool, to identify vulnerable industrial processes. Build any necessary alterations into existing maintenance cycles;
Promote and coordinate sub-regional responses to opportunities that may arise for research and advanced technology industries in responding to climate change and delivering adaptation and mitigation;
Buildings will need to be amended to make internal working conditions less oppressive during heatwaves. This could take the form of natural and mechanical ventilation – where low and zero carbon approaches should be encouraged - natural shading from trees and vegetation, and incorporation of water-bodies through SUDS;
New developments should incorporate sufficient drainage capacity to accommodate increases in future rainfall and where possible should incorporate the latest techniques, such as sustainable drainage systems;
Promote and circulate research and information into land and grounds management in the light of the changing climate to ensure investments, particularly in sports and amenity facilities, are flexible enough to cope with changing conditions. This should address measures such as suitable surfacing, as well as building in a lower dependence on piped water;
Logistics and distribution parks should adopt surface water management strategies and be designed with fully-integrated sustainable drainage systems to limit the risk of urban flooding and consequent spread of contamination;
Continue to monitor minewaters, and where necessary support increased pumping to limit the risk of outbreaks;
Encourage wider monitoring, particularly of the sensitive habitats in the sub-region to contribute to the wider evidence base required to identify the nature and rate of climate change impacts;
Ensure future plans for resourcing of emergency and health care services account for likely changing pressures. Include promotion of wider education about the health risks associated with poor air quality and rising temperatures, to build community resilience to a likely future impact on these more urban areas; and
Address existing causes of deprivation in rural and urban areas, targeting resources according to the index of multiple deprivation, in order to build wider community resilience.

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Local area reports can be downloaded here.