CAG Consultants has published a new report for the Climate Change Committee (CCC). The CCC commissioned this work to investigate how local authorities adapt to climate change. This report supports the wider ‘A well-adapted UK‘ project. It also builds on our previous report that outlined local authority duties and powers.
The Current Context
The United Kingdom (UK) is experiencing warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers, which increase the risks of flooding and heat stress. Local authorities own and manage essential infrastructure that must adapt to these changing weather patterns. They also control local planning functions to keep new developments away from high-risk areas, such as floodplains.
However, our findings show that formal adaptation planning remains inconsistent across the four nations of the UK. Local authorities operate in a complex landscape with different tiers of government, and many councils face severe resource constraints.
Barriers to Action
Local authority officers identify several barriers to effective action, and many councils rely on short-term, competitive grant funds. Officers view these funds as unpredictable, finding them poorly suited for long-term climate resilience work. Officials in England in particular note that the absence of a statutory duty makes securing political support difficult, which leads councils to deprioritise adaptation.
What actions can National Government take?
We conclude that national governments must support local adaptation by providing visible and consistent national leadership. Governments should supply stable, multi-year funding streams and consider introducing a statutory duty for local adaptation. This statutory requirement must include adequate resources to establish a level playing field across the country. National governments should also offer comprehensive data, practical tools, and training to reduce the duplication of effort.
What action can Local Authorities take?
Local authorities take specific actions to improve local adaptation.
- Councils should make adaptation a priority across the whole organisation, which senior management must lead.
- They should participate in strong partnerships with neighbouring councils, businesses, and community groups to address shared risks.
- Authorities should invest in staff training to improve specialist skills and knowledge regarding climate risk management.
- Councils should explore diverse funding approaches, such as public-private partnerships, to deliver necessary adaptation projects.
- They should communicate the wider benefits of adaptation, such as improved health and lower energy bills, to the public.
- Authorities should retrofit their own buildings to increase resilience to overheating and implement property-level flood protection.
You can read the full report on the UK Climate Risk website.