Summary
Whilst the assessment of specific sectors has focused on the direct risks from exposure to hazards, there are also a range of broader factors which affect the overall city region’s exposure and vulnerability to climate change, as well as its ability to respond positively to the challenge. These relate to three areas:
International risks and opportunities – those which occur outside the physical boundary of the U.K but have impacts and consequences on how it functions;
Cross cutting issues – issues that cut across all risks and issues in the assessment; and
Adaptive capacity - factors which have the potential to affect the city region’s overall ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impacts of climate change.
Key international risks and opportunities and cross cutting and adaptive capacity issues
Glasgow City Region faces the same set of international risks and opportunities as the rest of the U.K., relating to trade, food, and human displacement. As such, the city region could experience a range of impacts due to risks affecting other parts of Scotland, the UK and internationally Examples include disruption to transport, energy or telecommunications, as well as biodiversity or pests and diseases. However, no evidence has been identified for international risks and opportunities that are specific for the city region.
Many actions to adapt offer the potential for addressing wider societal challenges, including health and wellbeing, carbon reduction, and air quality. This could occur incrementally, by working alongside other partners to realise co-benefits, or by working to bring around wider transformation.
Adapting to a changing climate has social justice implications, requiring explicit acknowledgement and consideration from ethical, legal and practical perspectives.
Effective adaptation needs continued strategic leadership and direction, as well as adequate funding for implementation.
Use our interactive index to navigate to relevant information based on particular climate hazards, risks, sectors, and actions.
Next steps to addressing international and cross-cutting climate related risks and opportunities
Build on work to date, to ensure adaptation is understood amongst leaders and decision-makers as a strategic socio-economic issue. This will involve ensuring a strong political dialogue as part of developing the city region’s first adaptation strategy and action plan.
Diversify funding sources to offset the impacts of leaving the European Union. In particular, building capacity for municipal bonds, and working with Scottish Government to explore inclusion of adaptation in lending criteria for the planned National Investment Bank.
Continue to identify multiple benefits that ensure climate resilience is considered as part of broader regional development and identify where more transformational approaches are needed, for example in relation to sea level rise.
Use various levers to minimise international impacts such as producing food more locally to cushion the impacts of disruption to food systems, and using public procurement and supply chain management to embed climate resilience clauses into contracts.
Continue engagement in national, UK and international networks to share learning and understanding, and build understanding of possible impacts the city region may experience.
Ensure the city region considers climate justice issues in the development, outcomes and implementation of the Glasgow City Region climate adaptation strategy and action plan.
