Climate change adaptation pathways for local authority masterplans

Kylie Russell, Deputy Chief Executive at the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT), talks about their recent work with the Environment Agency on adaptation pathways.

The climate is changing faster than we can adapt. Sea levels are rising, and rainfall patterns are changing, causing more frequent flooding. We need to do things differently and we need to get ahead of climate change. We don’t know exactly when or how severely communities will be affected, so we need to be agile and responsive to change when it happens.

Local authorities are acutely aware of the urgency and scale of the climate threat that we all face and understand the need for innovative approaches to tackle the growing threats of flooding and coastal risks. At ADEPT, our role is focused on helping local authorities to adapt and prepare for climate change, facilitating the sharing of best practice, knowledge and innovative strategies.

One of our recent pieces of work on climate change has been in partnership with the Environment Agency, raising awareness of the ‘adaptation pathways’ approach. At its core, this involves planning for climate change by developing a flexible roadmap for a range of climate scenarios. We know the climate is changing, but we don’t know with absolute certainty how fast or when changes will occur.

Our focus should be on monitoring climate change, understanding its pace, and making decisions at the right time. The adaptation pathway approach allows for timely, informed decisions, ensuring that resources are invested effectively. It allows decision makers to take action under climate uncertainty, identifying what actions can be taken now, and in the future, to plan and adapt to climate hazards.

Another positive element about the adaptation pathway approach is it involves delaying some decisions until they need to be made. It means we can focus now on some of the earliest, no-regrets decisions around adaptation – for example, on natural flood management, limiting development in flood risk areas and helping people make sure that their properties are resilient to flooding.

We can then delay some of the big investment decisions – for example, putting in flood defences – until we really need them. It’s about making the best use of public money, ensuring we don’t invest too early. By taking an adaptation pathways approach, local authorities can invest in the right thing, at the right time, for maximum benefit.

From our early work with the Environment Agency, we know that the concept is difficult to understand, because our systems, finances and process are generally based around the certainty of when things will happen. However, the adaptation pathway approach is about recognising trigger points and responding when necessary: for example, when flood risk reaches a certain point, that’s when we need to consider the next action.

The adaptation pathways approach also encourages wider conversation about the resilience of our places. What do we want for our places? How can we bolster our climate resilience? How can we thrive?

As part of our work with the Environment Agency, we produced an introductory ten minute video, which aims to assist local authorities in understanding and implementing the adaptation pathways approach to manage flood and coastal risk and create resilient, thriving places. The video includes an animation to simply explain the adaptation pathway approach and explores how it can benefit local authorities, supporting placemaking and adaptive planning for all sources of flood risk.

The video is part of the Environment Agency’s £8m Adaptation Pathways Programme, which is developing long term plans to adapt and invest in flooding and coastal change in five strategic locations in England.

We also held a webinar on the adaptation pathways approach, aimed at place directors and flood risk managers. Nearly 100 delegates attended the event which featured practical case studies and the opportunity to ask questions.

The Environment Agency’s National Flood & Coastal Erosion Risk Management Strategy sets a vision for a nation that’s resilient to flooding and coastal change, but this cannot be achieved without others. Risk management authorities, and in particular local authorities, play a huge part in building resilience to flooding and coastal change.

The adaptation pathways approach can empower local authorities to make timely, informed decisions, ensuring the effective use of resources for maximum benefit in creating resilient and thriving communities. Our next step is to work with the Environment Agency and ADEPT members to help councils prepare for flood and coastal erosion risks.

You can watch the video here:

For more information: 

• The Adaptation Pathways knowledge hub can be found here: Adaptation Pathways Knowledge Hub – Home (sharepoint.com)

• Information about the Flood and Coastal Innovation Programmes: Adaptation Pathways Knowledge Hub – Home (engagementhq.com)

Images: ADEPT