Scottish climate change adaptation programme: progress report 2016

ADAPTATION PROGRAMME: NEXT STEPS

Adaptation Scotland Programme

The Adaptation Scotland programme will continue to play a key role in supporting wider engagement to support delivery of Scottish Ministers' climate change adaptation objectives as set out in the SCCAP. The Adaptation Scotland Programme will continue to mainstream climate adaptation, delivering an embedded approach across public, private and community sectors and all Scottish Government portfolios, with the aim of achieving measured reductions in adaptation risks.

Required Reporting for Public Bodies

Named public bodies are now required to submit their first report for the period from 1 April 2015 to 31 March 2016 by 30 Nov 2016, and each year thereafter.

The new required reporting form will capture information on the key emission sources and other governance, adaptation and sustainable procurement issues, including basic transport and business travel data. The "recommended" reporting form provides further opportunities for bodies to voluntarily record area-wide emissions, behaviour change and resource efficiency information. Both sets of reported information will be annually assessed to help monitor compliance with the duties and build up a clear picture of sector activity and progress in order to inform Scottish Government policy and support in the future.

Independent Report by Adaptation Sub-Committee, September 2016

In addition to annual progress reports by Scottish Ministers to the Scottish Parliament, the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 requires an independent assessment of the Scottish Government's progress. The Adaptation Sub-Committee ( ASC) of the UK Committee on Climate Change is currently designated to perform this independent scrutiny role. The first report is expected in September 2016 and will be laid before Parliament.

Climate Change Risk Assessment, January 2017

The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment ( CCRA) is a five-yearly assessment of the current and future risks and opportunities to the UK from climate change. The second CCRA is due in January 2017. To inform the 2017 risk assessment, the Adaptation Sub-Committee ( ASC) of the Committee on Climate Change will publish an independent evidence report of the risks and opportunities to the UK from climate change by July 2016. Defra will then use the ASC's evidence report as the basis of a Government report, which will be laid before Parliament by January 2017. The Scottish Government will continue to work with the UK Government and other devolved administrations in the production of the next CCRA which will form the basis of the next Programme.

European Climate Change Adaptation Conference 2017

In 2017, Glasgow will host the 3rd European Climate Change Adaptation ( ECCA) Conference, attracting around 1000 delegates from all over the world. Climate resilience is at the core of decisions shaping investment in Glasgow and transforming communities and it is this pioneering work that has helped win Glasgow the conference. The bid was supported by 46 organisations across Scotland and the UK. It will mark the first time that the conference has been held in the UK since its inauguration, with previous host cities including Hamburg and Copenhagen.

Climate Projections 2018

The UKCP18 Project is responsible for completing a major upgrade of the UK Climate Projections ( UKCP09) using the latest observations, climate models and information from the most recent Inter Governmental Panel on Climate Change ( IPCC) assessment. Scotland is well represented on the UKCP18 User Group for Government Departments and Other Government Organisations and the non-Government User Group for UKCP18. The Scottish Government and its partners will continue to work with the project team to ensure the projections are best designed to meet Scotland's user needs.