Climate change: Rural Climate Change Forum
Terms of reference and members
The Rural Climate Change Forum exists to provide a high level forum for dialogue with Government, and authoritative advice and leadership for rural stakeholders, on climate change and rural land management.
Its objectives are to:
- Advise on the most effective way to deliver relevant commitments of the UK Climate Change Programme, and contribute to related policy review, development and implementation.
- Raise awareness among stakeholders at all levels about the impacts of climate change in rural areas through existing and or new knowledge networks, help develop and promote appropriate responses to climate change, and contribute to the implementation of a climate change communications strategy for land managers.
- Identify, propose and promote practical actions and policy options, including the uptake of research findings:
- to reduce and offset greenhouse gas emissions from rural land uses
- on adaptation measures for rural land uses (including for conservation purposes and new agricultural uses)
- on the potential for managing the impacts of climate change, e.g. flooding, through changed land management practices.
- Identify relevant research needs and priorities.
It will bring together industry, NGO, academic and government to address climate change issues in the rural context.
The Forum is chaired by John Gilliland OBE, Member of the Sustainable Development Commission.
John Gilliland is a former President of the Ulster Farmers' Union, and runs an agri-business that has won awards for innovation and environmental advances in its farming practices. He is Chair and a Director of an R&D company, designing sustainable renewable energy and waste management systems using willow trees. He is a non-executive director of the NI Authority of Energy Regulation. He has experience of development issues overseas and was recently appointed to the Sustainable Development Commission.
The other Members of the Forum are:
- Carbon Trust
- Country Land and Business Association (CLA)
- Environment Agency
- Forestry Commission
- National Farmers’ Union (NFU)
- National Trust
- Natural England
- RSPB
The Forum may also decide to invite others to work with it to provide further expertise on specific areas.
Page last modified: 30 May 2008
Page published: 18 April 2006