CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION IMPLEMENTATION PLAN for the Draft South East Plan

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1 CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION AND ADAPTATION IMPLEMENTATION PLAN for the Draft South East Plan EXECUTIVE SUMMARY What is the Purpose and Background to the Implementation Plan? The impact of climate change in the South East is likely to be among the most severe of any English region The overall aim of the Climate Change Implementation Plan is to develop a regional implementation plan which sets out actions required by different organisations and stakeholders to mitigate and adapt to the predicted effects of climate change in the South East. The South East is forecast to experience some of the most severe impacts due to climate change of any English region over the coming century. Impacts are likely to include hotter drier summers, milder wetter winters, greater extremes in temperature and precipitation, increased storminess and rising sea levels and storm surge heights. Action is needed urgently to adapt to impacts already happening, and to mitigate the causes of climate change. This Implementation Plan is designed to play a key role in facilitating action, by setting out priorities for actions and key roles and responsibilities. Urgent action is needed to adapt to impacts already happening, and mitigate against future impacts The Implementation Plan mainly includes actions that are relevant to spatial planning, however it also considers those that go beyond activity controlled by the spatial planning system. It also aims not to duplicate work already undertaken, but draw together relevant actions and clarify implementation mechanisms. In particular, the Implementation Plan aims to assist in the delivery of Policy CC2: Climate Change in the draft South East Plan as submitted by the Regional Assembly to Government on 31 March It supplements the Implementation Plan for the South East Plan which identifies the mechanisms generally required to deliver the policies and proposals set out in the South East Plan. However, due to the importance and cross-cutting nature of the climate change policy across all aspects of the Plan, it was decided to provide additional detail on its implementation. i

2 The development the plan has drawn on much existing research work and guidance documents. These are detailed in the main report. What is the Scope and Coverage of the Implementation Plan? The Implementation Plan provides further details of the mechanisms and activities that are already contributing to, or need to be developed, to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the South East. The focus is on the implementation of the five mitigation and five adaptation principles for climate change proofing as set out in policy CC2 of the draft South East Plan (see below). Policy CC2: Climate Change The strategy and policies of the Plan will promote measures to mitigate and adapt to the forecast effects of climate change and should be implemented through application of local planning policy and other mechanisms. Behavioural change will be essential in implementing this policy and the measures identified. Mitigation, through reducing greenhouse gas emissions, will primarily be addressed through greater resource efficiency including: i. Improving energy efficiency performance of new and existing buildings and influencing behaviour of occupants ii. Reducing the need to travel and ensuring good accessibility to public and other sustainable modes of transport iii. Promoting land use that acts as carbon sinks iv. Encouraging development and use of renewable energy v. Reducing the amount of biodegradable waste landfilled. In addition, and in respect of carbon dioxide emissions, regional and local authorities, agencies and others shall include policies and proposals in their plans, strategies and investment programmes to help reduce the region s carbon dioxide emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 and by at least 25% below 1990 levels by A target for 2026 will be developed and incorporated in the first review of the Plan (and no later than 2011). Adaptation to risks and opportunities will be achieved through: i. Guiding strategic development to locations offering greater protection from impacts such as flooding, erosion, storms, water shortages and subsidence ii. Ensuring new and existing building stock are more resilient to climate change impacts iii. Incorporating sustainable drainage measures and high standards of water efficiency in new and existing building stock iv. Increasing flood storage capacity and developing sustainable new water resources v. Ensuring that opportunities and options for sustainable flood management and migration of habitats and species are not foreclosed. [Note: emphasis in bold is added] Some significant progress has already been made by organisations that have identified the benefit of mitigation and adaptation. However, implementing mitigation and adaptation to climate change is still at an early stage in the region. Most progress has been made in developing knowledge and in modifying regional policies, strategies and plans. These ii

3 provide the framework within which mitigation and adaptation can be delivered, but local mechanisms and commitment is needed to take implementation further and to overcome perceived or actual barriers to making progress. Who should be Responsible for Implementing the Actions? While the Regional Assembly has an important role in helping deliver mitigation and adaptation to climate change, it will need the support of many different other organisations and stakeholders, as well as individuals and households, to deliver the actions and activities in the Implementation Plan. The key audience for this plan is therefore those who need to take action, which could include (but is not limited to): Central government National regulators and advisors Regional planners and policy makers Local authorities and planning bodies Developers and their advisers (e.g. architects, engineers and surveyors) Industry and commerce Responsibility for action lies at all levels, from national government to individual households Service providers (e.g. health, education, transport, utilities, waste and water) Landowners and managers, farmers and forestry industry NGOs, voluntary organisations, researchers and academia Community groups and householders. The Implementation Plan includes details of the principal areas of influence and responsibilities of these different audiences. What are the Barriers to Implementation and the Priority Activities and Actions to overcome them? The Implementation Plan recognised that there are many potential barriers to implementation, including uncertainty and a lack of consensus around certain issues (both in terms of evidence and potential solutions), as well as a lack of awareness amongst certain stakeholders. Some of the key potential barriers identified are: Uncertainty about the nature and extent of climate change and its impacts. The complexity and challenges of climate change impacts and the adaptations needed. The short planning horizons of many stakeholders compared to those of climate change. Resource constraints and the perception of additional costs of adaptation and mitigation. Lack of the maturity of certain markets for goods and services to support adaptation. Dependency on regulations, codes and standards which do not yet reflect anticipated climatic conditions or current good practice. iii

4 The perception that the business case for adaptation has not been proven in some sectors. The lack of senior management buy-in and/or political support for adaptive response. Lack of awareness and in-house expertise. Organisational and professional inertia leading to inflexibility and resistance to change. Difficulties associated with changing individuals behaviour. One of the key Lack of joined up policy within and between different levels of decision making (e.g. national, regional and local). Mitigation and adaptation activities and actions have been identified to try to address these barriers and are structured in the report under the ten principles included in Policy CC2. In addition, a set of key generic or cross-cutting actions are also identified. For each principle, the Implementation Plan sets out how the issue is currently being addressed, through research and information, awareness raising and partnerships, the development of policy and strategy etc, and the key priorities for action that are needed, with the key players listed that needed to be involved in each action. A list of the titles of all the actions in the Implementation Plan is provided in the table below. areas for action is to embed climate change mitigation and adaptation in the spatial planning system, and in particular as part of the new Local Development Frameworks Actions range from policy and fiscal instruments required from government through to actions, including behavioural change, needed at the level of individuals, households and communities. One of the key areas for action is to embed climate change mitigation and adaptation in the spatial planning system, and in particular as part of the new Local Development Frameworks (LDFs) that all local authorities in the South East are currently producing. This, along with the correct implementation of policy and support from developers and owners in pursuing good practice in both new build and retrofitting existing properties, will provide the framework for many of the mitigation and adaptation needed and leave a legacy that will provide benefits for many years to come. Many other actions are also included and collectively they seek to integrate climate change adaptation and mitigation into all our decision making, whether at the level of government or individuals, rather than it being a bolt-on activity. This follows the spirit of Policy CC2 from the South East Plan, which is a cross cutting policy affecting all aspects of the plan. How should the Implementation Plan be Monitored? It is proposed that the delivery of this Implementation Plan will be monitored on a regular basis against relevant indicators as included in the South East Plan Monitoring Framework. In addition, the South East Climate Change Partnership has been working on developing a regional set of climate change indicators could provide additional information in the future. Policy CC2 includes a target to reduce the region s carbon dioxide emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2010 and by at least 25% below 1990 levels by There is a commitment is to develop a target for 2026 which will be incorporated in the first review of iv

5 the Plan. In order to monitor progress towards achieving the targets, a need has been identified to develop an inventory of greenhouse gas emissions. It is also proposed that the Implementation Plan is updated on a regular basis to report on progress and revise the actions as necessary. List of Priority Actions and Activities Included in the Implementation Plan Cross Cutting Activities and Actions C1: Local Authority climate change strategies C2: South East Plan policies in DPDs and SPDs C3: SPDs on sustainable construction C4: DPDs and SPDs requirements in development proposals C5: Sustainability Appraisals and Strategic Environmental Assessments Activities and Actions for Mitigation C6: Development checklists C7: Climate proofing plans and strategies C8: Code for Sustainable Homes C9: Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change C10: Lobbying central Government on climate change C11: Raising awareness with local communities C12: Climate change research C13: Climate change indicators C14: Inventory of greenhouse gas emissions M(i) Improving energy efficiency performance of new and existing buildings and influencing behaviour of occupants M(i) 1: Energy efficiency targets in DPDs M(i) 2: Building and energy standards (BREEAM, Eco Homes, SAP and NHER) M(i) 3: Strengthening and enforcing Building Regulations M(i) 4: Designing buildings to increase their thermal mass M(i) 5: Refurbishing publicly owned buildings M(i) 6: Lobby government for more incentives to promote energy efficiency M(i) 7: Using Business Rates as an incentive for energy efficiency M(i) 8: Support for businesses on energy efficiency through Envirowise M(i) 9: Joint working between regional organisations M(i) 10: Information on energy efficiency M(i) 11: Information on how to be energy (and water) efficient M(i) 12: Energy efficiency in existing buildings (ii) Reducing the need to travel and ensuring good accessibility to public and other sustainable modes of transport M(ii) 1: Sustainable transport in DPDs and SPDs M(ii) 2: Phasing of public transport infrastructur M(ii) 3: Changing the way we trave M(ii) 4: Road charging (iii) Promoting land use that acts as carbon sinks M(iii) 1: Supporting the creation of woodland in DPDs M(iii) 2: Creation of new woodland as part of developments M(iii) 3: Integrating green space within communities M(ii) 5: Preparation of travel plans M(ii) 6: Targets for travel plans M(ii) 7: Promoting flexible working practices M(ii) 8: Low emission fleet and freight vehicles M(iii) 4: Management of woodland to maximise carbon capture M(iii) 5: Community woodlands M(iii) 6: Land and forestry management for carbon capture (iv) Encouraging development and use of renewable energy Action M(iv) 1: Renewable energy targets in DPDs and SPDs Action M(iv) 2: Integrating CHP and mini / micro CHP in developments Action M(iv) 3: Implementation of South East Sustainable Energy Partnership Business Plan Action M(iv) 4: Renewable energy capacity at public sector sites (v) Reducing the amount of biodegradable waste landfilled Action M(v) 1: Allocation of waste sites in DPDs Action M(v) 2: Waste minimisation in LDDs Action M(v) 3: Energy from waste and anaerobic digestion in LDDs Action M(v) 4: Kerbside collection for biodegradable waste Action M(iv) 5: Review of regional renewable energy targets Action M(iv) 6: Government support for small-scale renewables Action M(iv) 7: Amend PPS2 to include requirement for LDDs to set renewable energy targets Action M(iv) 8: Developing renewables supply chain Action M(v) 5: Organisation of civic amenity sites to facilitate re-use and recycling Action M(v)6: Home composting Action M(v) 7: Incentives to increase diversion of biodegradable waste from landfill Action M(v) 8: Investment in energy recovery M(ii) 9: Financial incentives for low emission vehicles M(ii) 10: Lobby central government on transport M(ii) 11: Monitoring success of urban concentration policies M(ii) 12: Monitoring access to quality services and travel demand M(iii) 7: Promoting wood products in construction M(iii) 8: Carbon accounting M(iii) 9: Advice to land managers Action M(iv) 9: Promote biomass energy crops Action M(iv) 10: Supporting bio-fuels Action M(iv) 11: Forestry products for renewable power generation Action M(v) 9: Increased resources efficiency Action M(v) 10: Waste contracts Action M(v) 11: Research on landfill performance v

6 Activities and Actions for Adaptation (i) Guiding strategic development to locations offering greater protection from impacts such as flooding, erosion, storms, water shortages and subsidence A(i) 1: Flood risk in DPDs and SPDs A(i) 2: Baseline for SEAs and SAs A(i) 3: Assessments of communications network and infrastructure A(i) 4: Strategic approach to flood risk management in DPDs A(i) 5: Water resources and water quality in DPDs and SPDs A(i) 6: Flood risk and development sites A(i) 7: Flood risk assessments A(i) 8: Assessment of high risk locations A(i) 9: Flood risk management plans and strategies A(i) 10: Funding arrangements for water infrastructure (ii) Ensuring new and existing building stock are more resilient to climate change impacts A(ii) 1: Flood Risk Assessments A(ii) 2: Repairs to flooded properties A(ii) 3: Development outside of high flood risk area A(ii) 4: Use of planning conditions and obligations to increase resilience to flooding A(ii) 5: Use of informative to raise awareness of flooding issue A(ii) 6: Flood protection in SPD A(ii) 7: Information on flood risk A(ii) 8: Resilience of foundations A(i) 11: Linking water resources planning and wider development planning A(i) 12: Outputs from BRANCH A(i) 13: Outputs from ESPACE A(i) 14: Risk from subsidence A(i) 15: Managing and planning for subsidence A(ii) 9: Density and design of houses and buildings A(ii) 10: Retrofitting existing buildings A(ii) 11: Resilience of infrastructure (iii) Incorporating sustainable drainage measures and high standards of water efficiency in new and existing building stock A(iii) 1: Sustainable Urban Drainage in DPDs and SPDs A(iii) 2: Adoption and maintenance of SUDS A(iii) 3: Use of informative to raise awareness of sustainable drainage A(iii) 4: Incorporating SUDS into developments A(iii) 5: Water efficiency in DPDs and SPDs A(iii) 6: Use of planning conditions and obligations to secure water efficiency and conservation (iv) Increasing flood storage capacity and developing sustainable new water resources A(iv) 1: Identification of flood risk areas in DPDs A(iv) 2: Securing compensatory flood storage through LDDs, planning conditions and obligations A(iv) 3: Agricultural winter water storage reservoirs and farming practices in DPDs and SPDs A(iv) 4: Rural land use and agricultural practices A(iv) 5: Environmental Stewardship and flood risk management A(iv) 6: Flood storage capacity A(iv) 7: Incentives to provide flood storage A(iv) 8: Liaison on delivering new water resources A(iii) 7: Extend Building Regulations to facilitate water efficiency A(iii) 8: Demand management through water metering A(iii) 9: Protection of water resources in DPDs A(iv) 10: Developing new sources of water supply A(iv) 11: Safeguarding land for reservoir development in DPDs A(iv) 12: Reducing energy demand for pumping water (v) Ensuring that opportunities and options for sustainable flood management and migration of habitats and species are not foreclosed. A(v) 1: Undertaking Strategic Flood Risk Assessments A(v) 2: Contributions to Strategic Flood Risk Assessments A(v) 3: Developer contributions to strategic flood risk management A(v) 4: Flood risk and development briefs / area based SPDs A(v) 5: Reflecting CFMPs in LDD A(v) 6: Use planning requirements to develop improved flood defences A(v) 7: Flood risk management and farming / forestry land management A(v) 8: River Basin Management Plans A(v) 9: Use of landscape features to absorb flood water A(v) 10: Support wildlife corridors in LDDs A(v) 11: Research on the ability of species to track changes in their suitable climate space A(v) 12: Protection and enhancement of biodiversity in LDDs A(v) 13: Habitat creation as part of agrienvironment initiatives A(v) 14: Review of agri-environment schemes and BAP targets A(v) 15: Translocation of threatened species A(v) 16: Extent of managed nature reserves A(v) 17: Coppiced wood for bio-fuel A(v) 18: Spread of intertidal and freshwater habitats further up river valleys A(v) 19: Protect against fragmentation and sites acquisition to support biodiversity A(v) 20: Habitat creation A(v) 21: Suitability of woodland planting stock A(v) 22: Monitoring trees, woodlands and forests A(v) 23: Management of green spaces for wildlife movement vi