Defra has announced that from September 2011, the Environment Agency will be responsible for delivering Defra’s work on adaptation.
This means that the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) and regional climate change partnerships – who are working on Defra’s behalf to assist them in adapting to unavoidable climate change – will transfer some activities to the Environment Agency. Over the next six months UKCIP, the Environment Agency and Defra will work together to ensure a smooth transition.
Defra will provide EA with an additional £2millon per year to deliver climate adaptation advice, an increase on the current £1.5million per year budget paid to the current delivery partners.
EA will use its existing structure and links with local communities and businesses to increase the reach of adaptation advice across the country. EA plan to focus on key sectors such as health, water, transport, engineering and finance. In each sector EA will seek to work in partnership with the relevant trade or professional bodies and regulators to tap into relevant expertise and share knowledge on each sector’s adaptation needs.
The move will build on the excellent work of UKCIP, which has since 1997 provided information and support to organisations adapting to the impacts of a changing climate. This has helped to establish the UK as a world leader on climate adaptation.
For more information see Defra’s website.
