Climate ready Clyde

3 Mar 2016 03:41 PM

Funding for adaptation.

A project to help a third of Scotland’s population cope with climate change has been awarded £100,000 Scottish Government support.

Climate Change Minister Aileen McLeod has announced funding for a new partnership, Climate Ready Clyde, which will bring together business and community organisations to develop a shared understanding of climate change risks and opportunities across the Glasgow and Clyde Valley region. This will enable the project to take action on climate adaptation measures such as flood defences, coping with transport and infrastructure disruption, reducing pollution and increasing resilience to climate change.

Speaking as EU Environment Ministers prepare to gather in Brussels to discuss the new global climate change treaty agreed in December, Dr McLeod said:

“Climate change is happening now and extreme weather is having an impact in Scotland, and across Europe and the world. Adaptation is crucial if we are to be as prepared and resilient as possible to deal with the impacts of climate change here in Scotland - such as the disruption and damage experienced by many communities this winter.

“With severe storms and heavy rainfall predicted to become more common over the next century, the work being taken forward by the Climate Ready Clyde partnership will assist a significant proportion of the Scottish population be as prepared as possible to cope with climate change. It will also help ensure the region is well-placed to seize the economic opportunities associated with climate resilience.

“Clearly, we all have a role to play in tackling and adapting to climate change following the Paris Agreement, which was an important step in encouraging other countries to match Scotland’s level of ambition and action.”

Bailie Elaine McDougall, Executive Member for Transport, Environment and Sustainability, said: “This is a welcome recognition of the importance of planning for a climate ready future across the Glasgow City Region.

“Glasgow City Council has been keen to explore our shared challenges and responses to the local impacts of global climate change - so it is good to see our investment in the Climate Ready Clyde partnership being supported by the Scottish Government. We believe this work will act as an exemplar on a national level and help to develop our own thinking and leadership for a climate adapted city region. Glasgow looks forward to hosting the next European Climate Change Adaptation conference in June 2017 and working with our partners and people on these important issues.”

Ruth Wolstenholme, Managing Director of Sniffer, the charity delivering the Adaptation Scotland Programme that initiated Climate Ready Clyde, said:

“The participants in Climate Ready Clyde are pioneers in bringing a region together to prepare for the challenges and take the opportunities that come from a changing climate. None of these organisations could achieve this if working on their own. Building the relationships and the mutual trust and support between the participating organisations takes time but it is very encouraging that the project is now taking the step up to a formal partnership with a plan to make the ambitious vision a reality.”

Notes To Editors

Background

The first annual report on the Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme was published in 2015: http://news.scotland.gov.uk/News/Climate-ready-Scotland-194c.aspx

Climate Ready Clyde Vision document: http://www.sniffer.org.uk/knowledge-hubs/sustainable-places/climate-ready-clyde/