The monthly newsletter from UKCIP has just been published for December 2011. Lots of climate change and adaptation nuggets all of which can be read in full on the UKCIP website at www.ukcip.org.uk/news

Here are some bits and bobs mentioned that might well be of interest to Your Climate friends and associates.

UKCIP Climate Digest

Go to the latest UKCIP Climate Digest for a summary of recent research relevant to climate change impacts and adaptation. You can also view the last six issues. 

Making progress – UKCIP’s latest report on adaptation in the UK

UKCIP’s latest report Making progress, brings together the experience, knowledge and insight gleaned from almost 15 years of working on adaptation. While Making progress focuses on UKCIP’s activities since 2005, it also encompasses the broader sweep of UKCIP’s work from 1997. More than most, UKCIP has been in midst of adaptation activity, working to act as a bridge between the stakeholders grappling with the relatively new task of adapting to an uncertain (but different) future climate and the scientists presenting technical information about the uncertain (but quantified) future climate.

Making progress makes an excellent introduction to adaptation, as well as a thoughtful assessment about what has been achieved so far, and what more could be still be done. 

• Free to download from the Making progress webpage.

AdaptME toolkit – new on UKCIP’s website

This toolkit responds to a growing demand for practical support in evaluating adaptation progress and performance, and enhances Step 5 of the UKCIP Adaptation Wizard (Monitor and Review). It draws upon the outputs from two stakeholder workshops and from UKCIP’s experience of working with stakeholders on this theme in recent years, as well as consideration of approaches from mainstream monitoring and evaluation. The current format of AdaptME is a short report, however this will need to be developed and we would be interested in hearing your views, ideas and feedback. If you would like to get in touch, please contact enquires@ukcip.org.uk.

• Go to the AdaptME toolkit webpage.

Climate change and social justice – JRF report

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) has recently published a study as part of its Climate Change and Social Justice programme. This report, ‘What makes people more or less vulnerable to the impacts of climate change?’ contends that existing climate change policy does not properly address the social aspects of the impacts of climate change, and that this leaves many socially vulnerable groups particularly at risk from climate change.

• Go to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation for more information and to download the report (summary or full versions available).

New guidance for adaptation in Wales

The Welsh Government has published the first two parts of its practical guidance, Preparing for a changing climate, which supports organisations to embed climate change adaptation into their own decision-making processes. The guidance is being issued under the terms of the Climate Change Act 2008 and these first two parts cover the starting and investigating phases. Further guidance on planning, implementation, monitoring and review will follow. The Welsh Government also sets out how it is to apply the provisions of the Act relating to its powers to direct some organisations to produce adaptation reports.

• Go to the press release on Preparing for a changing climate.
• Preparing for a changing climate on the Welsh Government website.

Climate Week, 12–18 March 2012

The second annual Climate Week is being planned for next spring. As with the 2011 Climate Week, thousands of events and activities are being organised across the UK, showcasing real, practical ways to address the challenges of climate change.

• To find out more go to the Climate Week website, email info@climateweek.com or telephone 020 3397 2601.

Global adaptation action database from UNFCCC

Under the umbrella of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is a useful database of examples of adaptation actions from around the globe. It includes several UK-based examples.

• Go to UNFCCC adaptation database.

Global extreme events and climate change – IPCC report for policy-makers

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) recently released its summary for policy-makers on extreme weather and climate events. Its highest level conclusion is that very hot days and incidents of heavy precipitation are likely to increase. Details of other extreme weather events, such as cyclones, are also discussed. The full report is due out in February 2012.

• Go to the IPCC extreme events report.

Global research needs – PROVIA survey

PROVIA (Programme for Research on Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation) is conducting a world-wide survey seeking views on research priorities for climate vulnerability, impacts and adaptation. PROVIA will use the responses to build a broadly-based picture of priorities to be discussed with governments and international agencies.

• The survey is available from the PROVIA website.

For more information and a Christmas Cracker joke please visit the UKCIP website at www.ukcip.org.uk/news