Enews for January 2012

  1. UKCIP Climate Digest
  2. Environment Agency to invite you to participate in adaptation research
  3. ITRC Fast Track Analysis dissemination conference, 24 January, London
  4. Adaptation in Scotland – ASC assessment
  5. Two ASC members step down
  6. Adaptation reporting power – final tranche of reports published
  7. UK temperatures – average December, warm 2011 for UK
  8. Vacancies (imminent deadline!) – 2 post-doctoral researchers, Advancing Knowledge Systems to Inform Climate Adaptation Decisions (ICAD).
  9. Events

1. 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. Search earlier issues using the search facility on the right.

UKCIP’s Climate Digest is one of the most popular services that UKCIP provides, and we are interested to find out what you think about it, particularly in the context of UKCIP’s own evolution as an independent body working on the development of approaches to adaptation. We would really like to hear what you think, and we’d be grateful if you would complete our short survey.  It will remain open until the end of January.

2. Environment Agency to invite you to participate in adaptation research

The Environment Agency with UKCIP is conducting a study about how organisations plan for a changing climate. The results of the study will be used to shape the Environment Agency’s new delivery role on adapting to climate change. In the next week you will receive an email introducing the study and a link to an online survey. The research is being carried out by an independent market research agency, Blue Marble Research, in accordance with the Market Research Society’s code of conduct. All responses will be confidential and not attributable to you or your organisation. We would greatly value your participation.

3. ITRC Fast Track Analysis dissemination conference, 24 January 2012 9 am–2 pm, Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London

This half day conference will disseminate the results from the Fast Track Analysis from the UK Infrastructure Transitions Research Consortium (ITRC). The FTA presents the framework for long term strategic analysis of national infrastructure systems, and provides a cross-sectoral overview of infrastructure sectors (energy, transport, water, waste, ICT). It also identifies the high level drivers of change within infrastructure systems, and presents preliminary results from analysis of future demand.

For more details, please download the draft agenda. To register, please email Ben Kidd.

4. Adaptation in Scotland – ASC assessment

The ASC’s assessment of adaptation in Scotland praises efforts to raise awareness of the impacts of climate change on health, the Scottish economy and its natural heritage. To enable vulnerabilities to be managed and exploit opportunities the ASC also recommends that the Scottish Government: strengthens adaptation in some policy areas, enables key decision makers to consider adaptation in the long-term; and ensures policies have clear outcomes and are evaluated appropriately.

5. Two ASC members step down.

Two members of the Adaptation Sub-Committee to the Committee on Climate Change, Professor Tim Palmer and Dr Andrew Dugolecki, will be leaving their posts in the New Year. The ASC will now consist of six: Lord John Krebs (Chair), Sir Graham Wynne, Professor Sam Fankhauser, Professor Jim Hall, Professor Martin Parry and Professor Anne Johnson.

6. Adaptation reporting power – final tranche of reports published

In December, Defra published the final tranche of reports (energy sector) it has received under the Secretary of State’s Adaptation Reporting Power. All reports submitted to Defra are now available on line (links below). Defra is due to publish sector summaries and an overall review of the reports by the spring.

7. UK temperatures – average December, warm 2011 for UK

Followers of weather statistics may be interested to know that the Met Office’s provisional figures suggest that December was an average month in terms of temperature for the UK. At 4.7°C, it was just a little above the average (1971-2000). 2011 is likely to be a very warm year overall: the second warmest on record, with only 2006 warmer. Rainfall was a more mixed picture, with Scotland having the wettest year on record in contrast to some areas in England which were notably dry.

8. Vacancies (imminent deadline!) – 2 post-doctoral researchers, Advancing Knowledge Systems to Inform Climate Adaptation Decisions (ICAD)

There are two vacancies for experienced researchers on knowledge systems for climate change adaptation at the University of Leeds. The project is funded by a European Research Council Starting Grant awarded to Dr Suraje Dessai, who will join the Sustainability Research Institute (SRI) in January 2012 as Chair in Climate Change Adaptation. These are fixed term (3 year) appointments from April 2012, with an application deadline of 16 January 2012.

9. Events

Earth Systems Engineering 2012:
A technical symposium on systems engineering for sustainable adaptation to global change, 3rd-5th July 2012, Newcastle University. Please visit the conference website for more information.

Planet under Pressure, 26-29 March 2012, London.
This conference will provide a comprehensive update of knowledge of the Earth system and the pressure the planet is now under. Go to the Planet under Pressure website for information on speakers, programme and registration.