Climate change duties - draft statutory guidance for public bodies: consultation
The second duty: adaptation
Chapter 6, Implementing the second duty: adaptation lays out the overarching principles and actions which all public bodies would be expected to undertake, in a manner proportionate to their size and nature, to adapt and become resilient to the changing climate. Core to this is undertaking appropriate climate risk assessments and developing an adaptation plan or equivalent.
The chapter starts with a summary of key actions and outcomes, copied in the drop down section below, before going on to provide detailed guidance around the activities.
You may find it useful to refer to the consultation paper while responding to these questions.
Adaptation - summary of key actions and outcomes
Under section 44 of the 2009 Act, relevant public bodies have a duty, in exercising their functions, to act in the way best calculated to help deliver the Scottish National Adaptation Plan (SNAP).
All public bodies must identify the national adaptation objectives from SNAP relevant to their functions and act in a way that supports the delivery of these objectives.
Organisations will have varying degrees of influence in relation to adaptation in Scotland depending on their particular role, functions and responsibilities, but all public bodies need to be resilient to the future climate and to plan for business continuity in relation to delivery of their functions and the services they deliver to the wider community.
To help demonstrate compliance with this duty, public bodies should:
- undertake a climate related risk assessment or assessments
- develop and implement an adaptation plan or plans with, as best practice, regard to just transition principles
- ensure that appropriate climate risks are included on corporate risk registers
- where applicable, note the specific adaptation actions assigned to them in the SNAP and align their work with these
- actively seek to work in partnership with other organisations to develop and implement wider placed based adaptation plans
- undertake the above giving due consideration to their physical assets including buildings, land and fleet; their staff and service users; the services they deliver; and the functions they exercise.
Key outcomes will be that public bodies:
- have a sound understanding of why adaptation is important for their organisation and what the impacts of climate change could mean, and will have identified and assessed their risks, vulnerabilities and any potential opportunities
- have identified and assessed the adaptation options, and have measures in place to implement their chosen strategies so that their physical assets, daily operations and service delivery are adapted to the changing climate and are resilient to its impacts
- monitor and evaluate implemented measures to ensure that adaptation efforts remain sufficient and responsive to changing conditions
- where applicable, contribute to the achievement of the specific adaptation outcomes assigned to them in the SNAP, and are able to track and report on delivery
- contribute to the effective adaptation of the places in which their sites, operations and services are located and delivered.