Assessing & Understanding Adaptation Pathways
We are working closely with the Environment Agency to raise awareness and understanding of adaptation pathways, an approach which helps us make practical, low-risk investments today while keeping flexibility for an uncertain future.
Adaptation pathways allow us to plan for climate change by developing a flexible roadmap for a range of different climate scenarios. We know that the UK climate is changing, but we don’t know with absolute certainty when changes will occur, or how rapidly.
Engagement with place directors shows that councils need practical tools and case studies that demonstrate the application of adaptation pathway approaches. Beginning with simple steps to build a consensus before delving into technical assessments.
The adaptation pathway approach allows for timely, informed decisions, ensuring that resources are invested effectively. It allows decision makers to act even under climate uncertainty, identifying what actions can be taken now and, in the future, to plan and adapt for climate hazards and changes.
Environment Agency’s £8m Adaptation Pathways Programme – Video Resource
Together with the Environment Agency, we have developed an introductory ten-minute video, which aims to assist local authorities in understanding and implementing the adaptation pathways approach to manage flood and coastal risk and create resilient, thriving places.
It explores how adaptation pathways benefit local authorities, supporting placemaking and adaptive planning for all sources of flood risk.
The video includes animation to simply explain what an adaptation pathway approach is. It outlines how the approach can benefit local authorities, supporting placemaking and adaptive planning for all sources of flood risk.
It forms part of the Environment Agency’s £8m Adaptation Pathways Programme, which is developing long-term plans to adapt and invest in flooding and coastal change in four strategic locations. To find out more about the adaptation approach, please visit: Adaptation Pathway Programme | Engage Environment Agency (engagementhq.com)
You can watch the video on YouTube.
Local Authority Rapid Adaptation Pathways Assessment (RAPA) - Trials
The three rapid adaptation pathway assessment (RAPA) pilot locations will be Wiltshire, West Sussex and Severnside, South Gloucestershire Council & West of England Mayoral Combined Authority. The locations chosen offer us the ability to focus on different issues and risks and will help us to gather as wide a range of information as possible.
The adaptation pathway approach allows for timely and informed decisions, ensuring that resources are invested effectively. It allows decision makers to act even under climate uncertainty, identifying what actions can be taken now and to plan and adapt for climate hazards and changes in the future.
RAPAs are 'high-level' adaptation pathways developed in workshop settings. They use the expert judgement of participating stakeholders to identify thresholds and actions, using maps and clearly defined data.
The RAPA toolkit and guidance that we are developing will focus on flood and coastal erosion risks and is aimed at local authorities, allowing them to deliver a basic rapid adaptation pathways assessment approach in their places and partnerships.
The three pilot locations will host workshops to trial the RAPA tool kit, ultimately providing valuable information and generating appropriate guidance that can be used by other authorities. You can find more information on the pilot locations here.
Webinar & Further Resources
A webinar explaining the RAPA approach was held on the 29th of November 2023.
The webinar also included practical case studies from West Yorkshire (surface water) and the River Severn as well as presentations from representatives across Leeds City Council, Shropshire Council, ADEPT and the Environment Agency.
You can find further resources on the Adaptation Pathway Programme | Engage Environment Agency (engagementhq.com) including a link to access the Adaptation Pathways Knowledge Hub.
