Preparing the north east for tomorrow’s changing climate
Having suffered extensive damage from heavy flooding and extreme gales during the past decade, public bodies in the north east of England wanted to understand how climate change would impact its people, economy and environment and how it could adapt. As a result the North East Climate Change Partnership was formed in July 2007 and called the region’s public, private and voluntary sector organisations to unite to develop a shared understanding of climate change and commit to tackle the issue head on. In December 2007 the region’s stakeholders including 25 councils publicly pledged to tackle climate change.
The partnership commissioned Royal Haskoning to undertake a study into projected climatic impacts in the region and investigate how it could adapt. Launched in April 2008, the study became the first of its kind to cover an entire UK government region and first to make modelling projections at an improved scale of resolution. Adrian Hilton, Regional Climate Change Coordinator said: "The North East Climate Change Adaptation Study was an important step in ensuring the region will be ready and able to cope with climate change in the future. We needed to be clear on what the changes are likely to be in years ahead, what areas will be most affected and what we need to do now, to prepare and adapt. That is why this study has been so important."
Adrian Hilton, Regional Climate Change Coordinator said: "The North East Climate Change Adaptation Study was an important step in ensuring the region will be ready and able to cope with climate change in the future. We needed to be clear on what the changes are likely to be in years ahead, what areas will be most affected and what we need to do now, to prepare and adapt. That is why this study has been so important."