Download Climate Change in Europe

Transportation and Infrastructure
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REPORT TO INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES COMMITTEE - 29 NOVEMBER 2007
ADAPTING TO CLIMATE CHANGE IN EUROPE GREEN PAPER
ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL’S RESPONSE TO CONSULTATION
1.
Purpose of Report
1.1
The purpose of this report is to inform the Committee of the “Adapting to
Climate Change in Europe” Green Paper and to request that the Committee
considers and agrees the response to be submitted on behalf of
Aberdeenshire Council.
2.
Background
2.1
The European Commission has been consulting on a number of interrelated
topics dealing with elements of climate change, such as the recent Maritime
paper. On 29 June 2007 the European Commission adopted its first policy
document on adapting to the impacts of climate change.
2.2
Aberdeenshire Council approved a report from its Scrutiny and Audit
Committee on Climate Change “The Bigger Issue”, on 1 March, 2007.
Among the recommendations in the report were, at 7.5.1 “The Council should
establish, as a matter of urgency, a strategy to achieve the challenging target
of becoming a carbon neutral Council in the short to medium term, e.g. by no
later than the year 2020.”
The minute at Branch 2 agrees:
1
to welcome the findings of the Scrutiny and Audit Committee’s report
on the Aberdeenshire Council’s Response to Climate Change
investigation,
2
to adopt the two strategic decisions that the Council:-
2.1
commits itself to becoming a carbon neutral organisation in the short to
medium term, eg by 2020 and
2.2
instigates an urgent dialogue with local partners to agree the actions,
process and resources needed to achieve the aim of Aberdeenshire
becoming a carbon neutral region in the medium term, eg by 2030
3
that the report be referred to the Area Committees for discussion and
comment and their views be incorporated in the action plan to be
submitted to the Council by October, 2007, and
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4
2.3
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without pre-empting the actions referred to in this report, to ask
Services in the shorter term to consider the issues and conclusions set
out in the Scrutiny and Audit Committee’s report in order to enhance
their performance in respect of Aberdeenshire Council’s response to
climate change.
Aberdeenshire Council has participated in the Carbon Trust’s Local Authority
Carbon Management Programme, is a Signatory to Scotland’s Climate
Change Declaration and is currently revising its Sustainability Charter.
All these initiatives target reducing dependence on finite resources and
emissions of carbon dioxide.
2.4
Given the commitment by the Council to the environment and the ambitious
targets set it was felt important to respond to this consultation from the
European Commission.
2.5
The sentiments and information contained in the consultation paper mean
that it is aimed at a large number of organisations, resulting in some of the
text being less applicable to Local Authorities. For this reason some questions
have not been answered. Responses to the questions are also limited to 700
characters (c10 lines) each, hence the brevity of the responses as outlined in
Appendix 1 to this report.
2.6
A copy of the complete document has been lodged in the Members Library.
Alternatively it is available from the EU Environment website at:
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/climat/adaptation/index_en.htm
2.7
The closing date for the consultation is Friday 30 November 2007. The
agreed response will be submitted via an on-line questionnaire.
2.8
There are 28 questions included throughout the document. The questions
and proposed responses are included at Appendix 1 of this report.
3.
Proposal
3.1
It is proposed that Infrastructure Services Committee considers and endorses
the response to the Adapting to Climate Change in Europe Green Paper to be
submitted on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council.
4.
Policy implications
4.1
There are no direct policy implications as a result of this report.
Aberdeenshire Council has taken a number of steps to help to combat climate
change as discussed earlier in this report and the proposed responses are
aligned to Aberdeenshire Council’s existing policies and strategies.
4.2
The results of this consultation may aid the EU in setting climate change
targets. These would be translated into national legislation and could
therefore result in local implications for Aberdeenshire Council in the future.
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4.3
Adaptation measures and issues identified through the consultation may also
have an influence on other spheres of European policy which could
consequently have an impact on national and local policies, again having
local implications for Aberdeenshire Council in the future.
5.
Area Implications
5.1
There are no specific area implications arising as a result of this report. The
whole of Aberdeenshire is affected by the impacts of climate change.
6.
Staffing Implications
6.1
There are no direct staffing implications as a result of this report.
7.
Financial Implications
7.1
There are no direct financial implications arising as a result of this report. To
undertake adaptation and mitigation work could have a financial implication
however.
7.2
The effects of climate change may cause more severe climatic events in
Aberdeenshire, resulting in the Council needing to make financial provision to
deal with any consequences.
8.
Consultations
8.1
The Directors of Finance and Law & Administration have been consulted and
have agreed the report.
8.2
The Director of Planning and Environmental Services has been consulted and
has agreed the report.
8.3
The members of the European Officer Group, the Renewable Energy
Development Co-ordinator, ATP Co-ordinator (Huntly), and the Sustainability
Co-ordinator were asked for input into this response.
9.
Recommendations
9.1
It is recommended that Infrastructure Services Committee considers
and endorses the response to the Adapting to Climate Change in Europe
Green Paper to be submitted on behalf of Aberdeenshire Council.
Iain Gabriel
Director
Transportation & Infrastructure
Report by Jeffery Kenyon
29 October 2007
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APPENDIX 1
Adapting to Climate Change in Europe – Options for EU action
Proposed Aberdeenshire Council Response
1.
What will be the most severe impacts on Europe’s natural environment,
economy and society?
Extreme weather with severe impacts may occur more often damaging
property, business, infrastructure, ecology and agriculture (to crops and
changing areas suitable for crops). Flooding will have impacts on power,
utilities and water pollution. Glacial melt/rise in sea level may have significant
impacts: areas above sea level either requiring protection or resettlement.
Desalinisation of seas and increased temperatures are threats to the food
chain of indigenous fish species in European waters. Movement of fish
species between climate zones may be a problem.
(577 characters)
2.
Which of the adverse effects of climate change identified in the Green
Paper and its Annex concern you most?
The most concerning impact is that on water. Changes to seas and water
supplies have knock-on consequences such as reduced fish stocks and
encouraging populations to move, causing strains on other areas. Areas that
see reductions in access to water will find it more difficult to sustain
agriculture, energy and industry, leading to migration elsewhere. These
together could have significant impacts on temperate areas of Europe.
The large-scale movement of populations from increasingly arid areas to areas
that remain temperate will become an issue. Movement into Europe is likely,
placing pressure on land (for habitation but also for agriculture), infrastructure,
economies and services.
(689 characters)
3.
Should further important impacts be added? If yes, which ones?
It is felt that little mention is made in the Green Paper of the potential effects
on our cultural heritage. Many of the areas likely to be affected by climate
change are coastal areas, where a lot of cultural heritage sites lie. Protection
measures to areas containing cultural heritage should also be considered.
(309 characters)
4.
Does the green paper place the right urgency and emphasis on the
matter of adaptation in Europe?
It is imperative that emissions are reduced as much as possible as fast as
possible. Immediate adaptation is key, and this must be undertaken with great
urgency. By addressing adaptations early it allows them to be carried out in a
planned manner, be well designed and more cost effective; reactive
adaptations may be more costly. Adaptations and knowledge must be shared
and fully integrated into policies and plans. Local authorities should
incorporate measures into the planning system to ensure that impacts of
climate change are addressed for instance through land-use policies.
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Sentiments of knowledge sharing and adaptation should be firmly expressed
in the green paper to encourage this to take place.
(700 characters)
5.
What should be the different roles of EU, national, regional, local
authorities and the private sector?
The EU should tackle high-level, transnational issues and act in a coordinating capacity when examining transboundary issues. Coordinating
research into specific problems e.g. specific impacts of climate change and
monitoring information is another role the EU could undertake. The interaction
between the EU and national authorities should seek to address land use
issues to ensure that these are coordinated and minimise impacts. National
authorities need to set frameworks for Local Authorities to adopt. LAs are
able in turn to adopt these at local levels whilst recognising local
circumstances. Local knowledge is imperative in making decisions that are
sensible and practical.
(683 characters)
6.
Which economic, social and environmental impacts of climate change
should be addressed at EU level as a matter of priority?
As a matter of urgency, good quality information about the impacts of climate
change needs to be compiled and disseminated. Dissemination will allow
appropriate adaptation measures to take place. Furthermore, the impacts and
likelihood of population movements within the EU and into the EU from
outwith need to be assessed and acknowledged. This would have permanent
consequences on the EU for which adaptations would need to be sought and
the urgency for effective action.
(468 characters)
7.
Apart from the main priority areas identified in the four-action approach,
are there other areas that have been missed out? If yes, which?
The four identified areas are felt to be sufficient.
8.
Does section 5.1 correctly and comprehensively identify the needs and
policy priorities for early adaptation actions that should either be taken
or coordinated at the EU level?
More emphasis could be placed on reducing the reliance on carbon-based
fuel sources. Adaptation must address this to aid the reduction of CO 2,
otherwise there is little point in undertaking adaptations. Alternative fuels and
ways of reducing the need to travel should also be considered. This could be
through greater use of ICT, spatial planning changes or policy changes.
Spatial planning needs priority in order to lessen the economic costs of
disruption to business and on insurance costs. Human adaptation will most
likely be guided by these costs and their impacts.
(571 characters)
9.
How do policy priorities need to change for different sectors? Which
policy approaches should be taken at national, regional or local level?
Where is European action needed?
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It should be acknowledged that the knowledge of marine ecosystems is
incomplete and basing adaptation on older models will not work. The Fisheries
Science Partnerships should be enhanced and stakeholders’ knowledge and
experience should be accessed to bring the reality of a complex situation closer
to policy. It may be that, with climate change, conserving biodiversity is a waste
of resources and learning to work with the changing ecosystem and biodiversity
would be simpler and more cost effective. The Fisheries Structural Funds should
take into account changing species’ populations and ensure that the socioeconomics of fisheries-dependent communities are of prime importance.
(685 characters)
10.
How can EU agriculture and fisheries policy be adapted to help these
sectors adjust to the impacts of climate change? What will be the likely
consequences of climate change for trade in agricultural products?
Fish: Warming coastal waters can lead to changes in marine food chains.
Traditional species can be affected by changes in temperature or acidity.
Changes to traditional species will result in pressures in the catching and
processing sectors. Transitional aid may be required to allow sectors to make
changes to exploit non-traditional species.
Agri: Increased temperatures in Northern Europe may lead to new crops as
well as increased crop yields. This is likely to be balanced by reduction in
yields in some southern regions where more arid conditions may be
experienced. Pressures on food producers in temperate areas to grow more
and reductions in available land would also need consideration.
(695 characters)
11.
How should the EU express its solidarity with regions suffering most
heavily from the consequences of climate change?
Climate change is a global issue. Policies and actions initiated by one country
will continue to have an effect on others. It is essential that EU policy reflects
the global nature of the issue.
12.
How could a collective European response help coastal Europe to tackle
the effects of rising sea levels?
Coastal areas of the EU are among the most prosperous with major industrial
and population centres. Adaptation to react to sea level changes will be
essential for the social and economic sectors. ICZM across the EU could help
provide consistency, providing a toolkit for local agencies to make difficult
spatial planning decisions that are required. It will not be possible to protect
all coastal areas from sea level increases. ICZM will assist in identifying areas
of coast to be protected and where managed retreat may be the appropriate
action. Using a common ICZM technique/toolkit will enable comparisons to be
made between coastal zones in different countries enabling targeting of
resources.
(699 characters)
13.
How should EU policy on public health take the impact of climate
change into account?
Potential reduction in available water supply and demand control mechanisms
may lead to sanitation issues; these areas need to be identified. EU policy
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should consider potential changes to the pattern and spread of diseases such
as malaria and awareness raising may be required. Agriculture patterns may
change and there may be associated changes in staple diets across EU
states; the implications need to be considered. The location and type of
infrastructure needed to deliver health needs may change e.g. more frequent
intense storms will lead to more flooding. Medical infrastructure must not
become isolated during such events e.g. access due to flooding, energy
supply and sanitation.
(690 characters)
14.
What will be the consequences of climate change for Member States’
potential energy mix and for European energy policy?
The need to reduce emissions must drive energy policy. Rainfall changes will
affect areas where hydro is viable. Warmer/brighter weather in south EU may
raise PV use. Agricultural changes may impact on production of
biomass/biofuels: there is debate about use of land for fuel or food. Pressures
on agriculture must be fully considered when formulating policy and targets.
Design/location of major power plants must take account of extreme weather
events. Floods may endanger existing sites and make services go off-line
when they are needed most. Temperature changes may alter pattern of
energy needed e.g. heatwaves can increase demand for air conditioning.
Wind energy capacity should be optimised.
(695 characters)
15.
Please rank the listed options under each of the areas of the four-action
approach for EU adaptation into the following three categories:
a. Most urgent and to be implemented by the Commission as a
matter of priority
b. Low priority for Commission implementation
c. Irrelevant for Commission implementation
Aberdeenshire Council has no comment to make on this question.
16.
What are the possible synergies between adaptation and mitigation
measures? How can these synergies be strengthened?
Issues on energy consumption are where synergies between adaptation and
mitigation are possible e.g. changes to insulation reduces need for energy to
heat/cool buildings. Reductions in energy requirement mean reduced
emissions. Transport is an area for synergies - removing reliance reduces
overall vehicle kms, reducing CO2 emissions. Continuity Risk Assessment
may show areas at risk from disruption and actions considered essential for
mitigation may be identified. Any correlations may identify potential synergies
and allow further research and action. Building these issues into Structural
Funds would assist in releasing appropriate funding across the EU.
(677 characters)
17.
In the context of EU policy, how can companies and citizens be
encouraged to participate in adaptation actions?
Information is key to the engagement of the public. A clear message must be
presented at all levels regarding the potential consequences of not carrying
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out adaptation actions. Currently the message is not clear, and there is a
general level of confusion and misinformation surrounding the whole issue of
climate change. An inclusive approach should be taken that identifies clear
outputs and goals that citizens can relate to. The use of the term Global
Warming is not helpful. The use of the term Climate Change is more
appropriate.
(534 characters)
18.
How will climate change affect the policy priorities of the EU’s external
policies?
Aberdeenshire Council has no comment to make on this question.
19.
Which priorities should the EU set for its co-operation programmes in
the different parts of the World with respect to adaptation to climate
change?
Aberdeenshire Council has no comment to make on this question.
20.
Which are the main opportunities and obstacles for adaptation in
different parts of the world?
Lack of information and communication would represent a key obstacle. High
quality information is required to allow continuity risk assessments. These
should then allow priorities to be identified for each area.
21.
What are the best options to make the EU’s external actions more
resilient to climate change?
Aberdeenshire Council has no comment to make on this question.
22.
What could be the value added for EU Action compared to other
international initiatives including, for instance, the UNFCCC (United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) and multilateral
funding instruments?
Aberdeenshire Council has no comment to make on this question.
23.
Do the listed research areas address the most important knowledge
gaps? If not, please add.
It is felt that the list is in the consultation document is comprehensive.
24.
Which are the five most important research areas that need to be
addressed as a matter of priority?
Aberdeenshire Council has no comment to make on this question.
25.
How should research results be communicated and made available to
decision makers and a broader public at local, national, EU-level and
internationally?
The issue of communication is paramount. At present information is available
from a wide range of sources. It is very difficult to be sure the most up-to-date
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information is used. A dedicated EU website that was up-to-date and
contained the wide range of information and research available would be
advantageous. Ideally such a site would actually include information and
research on a global basis, although the management of such a site may be
prohibitive. There are a number of existing organisation through which
information could be disseminated, such as the CPMR (Conference of
Peripheral Maritime Regions), NSRAC (North Sea Regional Advisory
Council), or Committee of the Regions.
(688 characters)
26.
Does the Green Paper foresee sufficient participation of the different
stakeholders in identifying and implementing EU adaptation actions?
The proposal within the Green Paper is quite wide ranging and seems to
cover the majority of stakeholder groups. It is vital that all stakeholders are
sufficiently engaged to ensure buy-in to any proposals. However, it is
suggested that more use could be made of existing trans-national networks,
for example the North Sea Commission which already has Working Groups
looking at a number of these stakeholder sectors. There are a number of
other such organisations already in existence that could be used to facilitate
consultation and engagement.
(546 characters)
27.
Should stakeholders from the EU’s neighbours and other regions be
involved?
Climate change, and the implications, does not respect national boundaries. It
is essential that policy formulation is as inclusive as possible. However careful
consideration will be required to achieve the correct balance - to ensure that
the inclusion of additional neighbours and regions does not make consultation
and engagement slow and cumbersome.
(353 characters)
28.
Would the establishment of a European Advisory Group on Adaptation
be helpful in further exploring an EU response to the effects of climate
change? If yes, which areas should such an Advisory Group concentrate
its work on?
Yes the formation of such a group would be helpful. Before deciding on the
areas to concentrate upon, it would be helpful to determine the main issues
that would most likely be subject to disruption from climate change. Some
form of business continuity risk assessment exercise would assist in this
matter. This may be the first priority for the Advisory Group. The effects on
spatial planning and communities could be a starting point.
(437 characters)