News

Professor Chris Rapley appointed new Chair of LCCP

Posted on 8/02/13 by admin

Professor Chris Rapley CBE, the notable scientist has today been appointed as the Chair of the London Climate Change Partnership. Prof Rapley is Professor of Climate Science at University College London and his illustrious career (including his role as Director of the Science Museum London) demonstrates his commitment to understanding and adapting to the impacts of climate change at a local and international level.

Professor Rapley will be joining the Partnership at an important time. Following on from the release of its 2020 Vision, LCCP is working to drive forward adaptation to extreme weather and climate change in London to ensure the capital continues to be an attractive place to live, work, invest in and visit.

Accepting the post at City Hall today, Professor Rapley said:

“I am excited at the opportunity to work with the LCCP partners to ensure that London is the most “climate-robust” city in the world. The aim is not just to protect Londoners and our thousand year heritage, but to have London recognised worldwide as THE secure location in which to invest reputation, finance and jobs”.

After seven successful years as Chair of London Climate Change Partnership, Sir Gerald Acher CBE LVO has stepped down, having served two full terms. Sir Gerald will continue to represent LCCP in a senior ambassadorial role. Sir Gerald stated:

“I would like to congratulate Chris on his new appointment as Chair of London Climate Change Partnership. Chris has an extremely impressive career and I am happy he will be bringing his expertise and experience to the Partnership. It has been a privilege to be Chair of LCCP for so long and I am proud of our work to ensure that London is resilient to the impacts of extreme weather and climate change. I am sure Chris will ensure that LCCP continues to be the leading authority on climate change adaptation in London.”

The Mayor of London’s environment adviser, Matthew Pencharz, said:

“London is a world leader in climate change adaptation. We produced the first adaptation strategy for a world city and in the London Climate Change Partnership, we have a world-renowned collaboration. The outgoing chair Sir Gerald Acher played an important role in forging this reputation. I am delighted to welcome Professor Chris Rapley as its new chairman to take forward this important work.”

Howard Davidson, Environment Agency Director South East, said:

“I would like to thank Sir Gerald for all his hard work in recent years and welcome Chris as the new chairman of the London Climate Change Partnership.

“We are committed to supporting the partnership, which I know will continue to thrive under Chris’ leadership, and his knowledge, energy and enthusiasm will keep London as the world leading city for adapting to climate change.

“It is only by working in partnerships and with communities that we can produce these plans and make sure that we make the right decisions in the future on how we are going to continue to adapt to climate change.”

Notes to editors

1. 1. The London Climate Change Partnership LCCP is the centre for expertise on climate change adaptation and resilience to extreme weather in London. LCCP is comprised of public, private and community sector organisations that have a role to play in preparing London for extreme weather today and climate change in the future. View further details about LCCP’s partners.
   2. Professor Chris Rapley CBE is Professor of Climate Science at University College London. He is a Fellow of St Edmund’s College Cambridge, a visiting Professor at Imperial College London, a Distinguished Visiting Scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, a member of the Academia Europaea, and a member of the European Space Agency Director General’s high level advisory committee on science strategy.His previous posts include Director of the Science Museum London, Director of the British Antarctic Survey, and Executive Director of the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. Before that Prof Rapley had established and built up the Earth Observation satellite group at UCL’s Mullard Space Science Laboratory.
   3. Prof Rapley will be opening LCCP’s event to launch its new report ‘Your Social Housing in a Changing Climate on 12 February 2013, 08.30-10.15 at City Hall. Photo opportunities will be available: please contact Matthew Dear via the details below
   4. The Chair of LCCP, Professor Chris Rapley, is available for interview by arrangement – please contact Juliette Daniels, Partnership Manager for the London Climate Change Partnership: 020 7983 5781, Juliette.Daniels@london.gov.uk
   5. The Partnership has produced a number of key reports on the impacts of climate change on London and ways to address them. Review LCCP’s publications here.

Further information about this story and the London Climate Change Partnership is available at: www.climatelondon.org or by contacting Matthew Dear: 020 7983 5874, Matthew.Dear@london.gov.uk