Norfolk Councils pool resources to assess risks of climate change

September 2009

Norfolk County Council has built on existing work on climate change adaptation cause within its boundaries by producing a Local Climate Impact Profile (LCLIP) that covers both county and district services. This project was funded through the County Strategic Partnership and delivered in conjunction with Norfolk District Councils as part of the partnership within the Local Area Agreement (LGA).

The Norfolk Climate Change Task Force recruited a Climate Change Research Officer through StudentForce for the three month project looking into the county’s vulnerability to climate change.

The research included a media search for articles relating to historic weather events and their impacts on local communities and council service delivery, followed by interviews with key council staff as well as local stakeholders such as Anglian Water, the Environment Agency and construction firm May Gurney.

The impetus for the LCLIP was the high level of awareness of Norfolk’s particular vulnerability to weather events such as flooding and drought. Evidence gathered by the LCLIP on a powerful storm surge in November 2007 was used to highlight the potential risks of sea level rise and the need for adaptation.

The Profile is being used to stimulate discussion amongst all Norfolk councils and other agencies and raise awareness about the need to adapt to climate change. This research demonstrates that all council services are disrupted by extreme weather events which have affected infrastructure, staff work load, communities along with posing real risks to individuals.

The report concludes by recommending that services should plan more actively for future weather events (predicted to increase in frequency and intensity) and make better use of local knowledge about vulnerability in order to enhance resilience to future extreme weather events.