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International policies

UN and EU policy and legislation guides and directs policy-making at the national level, with the following policies relevant to climate change adaptation.

UN Framework Convention on Climate Change

An international treaty produced at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. The treaty aims to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases.

The Framework has been ratified by 192 countries, since it entered into force in March 1994.

  • Article 4.1(b): all parties should formulate, implement, publish and regularly update national and, where appropriate, regional programmes containing measures to facilitate adequate adaptation to climate change
  • Article 4.1(e) all parties should cooperate in preparing for adaptation to the impacts of climate change
  • Article 4.1(f) all parties should take climate change into account in their relevant social, economic and environmental policies and actions climate change.

EU Sustainable Development Strategy 2006

Identifies and develops actions to improve quality of life through sustainable communities that manage and use resources efficiently, use the ecological and social innovation of the economy to ensure prosperity, environmental protection and social cohesion.

  • Identifies climate change as one of seven priorities. (Objective/Target 3b: Adaptation integrated into all relevant EU policies)
  • Expresses importance of adaptation measures to lessen adverse impacts of climate change and the role adaptation plays in international climate negotiations. This is expanded on in ‘Progress on EU Sustainable Development Strategy Final Report’ 2008.

EU Floods Directive 2007

Directive on the assessment and management of flood risk to ensure adequate measures are taken to reduce the risk to human health, environmental and cultural heritage and economic activity.

  • Requires Member States to assess if all coast lines and water courses are at risk of flooding in order to map the extent of risk and structure a plan of prevention and protection
  • The Directive reinforces the public right to view all the plans, maps and assessments made.

EU Communication on Water Scarcity and Drought (September 2007)

The European Commission placed a priority on using water more efficiently through a combination of technology and policy developments. Aim to implement measures to adapt to climate change based water scarcity.

A follow up report to the Communication was published in December 2008. Calls for the challenge of water scarcity to be considered in the broader context of climate change adaptation.

  • Recognises adaptation role in financing water efficiency by ensuring efficient use of funds to improve water demand management.
  • Research on adaptation is encouraged in the areas of economic activities, water efficiency and decision making tools
  • Annual European risk assessments will be carried out based on indicators and data provided by the European Economic Area Member States and stakeholders.

European Climate Change Programme

Launched in June 2000 by European Commission. It aims to identify, develop and implement all the necessary elements of an EU strategy to implement the Kyoto Protocol.

The White Paper (Adapting to climate change: towards a European Framework for action) was adopted in April 2009. The paper includes commitments to making assessments of climate change impacts and the feasibility of including them in guidelines and codes, such as construction standards.

  • Covers adaptation to climate change and emissions reductions
  • The main objective of the Green Paper was to start a Europe-wide public debate on how to address adaptation
  • Identifies the need for action through spatial planning for buildings and infrastructure amongst other areas
  • The UK response called for a sustainable and coherent approach to adaptation with a strong evidence base and appropriate governance which allows local flexibility.

Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive 2001

Spatial plans are obliged to consider two climate change issues: the impact or constraints set by climate change on the plan; and the plan’s effects on future emissions.

  • Whilst the requirement to carry out a Sustainability Appraisal and a Strategic Environmental Assessment are distinct, it is possible to satisfy both through a single appraisal process. This is the approach adopted by the UK Government.

Water Framework Directive 2000

An overarching programme to deliver long-term protection and improve the quality of groundwater, surface water and associated wetlands.

Under European Commission leadership a Common Implementation Strategy exists to support the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (WFD).

One of the groups that sit under this strategy is a Strategic Steering Group (SSG) on Climate Change and Water. It was established in September 2007 and focuses on making the best use of existing EU water legislation, identifying adaptation measures at different scales and providing input to the science community in relation to the implementation of the WFD, and in future for other EU water legislation.

  • In the UK, the Environment Agency is the lead authority for implementing the Directive. Principally this involves analysis of the characteristics of the 11 River Basin Districts in England and Wales to assess the impact of human activity on the water bodies within these districts. This will then be monitored against the environmental objectives set for each Basin. River Basin Management Plans will be drawn up to deliver these objectives using a Programme of Measures, which will be monitored and reviewed.

Energy Performance in Buildings Directive 2003

Requires member states to set performance standards to ensure that new buildings, as well as large existing buildings undergoing refurbishment, meet certain minimum energy requirements.

The Directive also sets requirements to produce an Energy Performance Certificate on construction, sale or renting out, and the need to produce a Display Energy Certificate for large public buildings.

  • While not directly applicable it is possible to promote approaches designed to improve adaptive capacity, such as shading, trees or green roofs, which can also improve energy performance.