Posted on 18/02/21 by Kristen Guida
Launch of TE2100 monitoring review key findings 3 March, 2pm. The Thames Estuary 2100 Plan was the first adaptive flood risk management strategy in England. With climate change at its core, its adaptive approach anticipates that the estuary and climate projections will change, and enables us to adapt our riversides to rising sea levels. On 23 February the team will launch the key findings from the 10-Year monitoring review, which brings together the latest scientific data, evidence and collective knowledge to provide a picture of how the estuary has changed over the last ten years. This report looks at ten indicators of change in the estuary, including sea level rise and river flows, people and property, and flood risk. The findings will be used to review and update the Thames Estuary 2100 Plan, due for publication in 2022. The team will be sharing the key findings in a webinar on 3 March. Visit the link to register.
Join the Thames Regional Flood and Coastal Committee (RFCC) The Thames RFCC is looking for two new independent committee members to help manage flood risk across the Thames catchment and deliver the ambitions of the new National Flood and Coastal Risk Management Strategy published last year. Seeking to create climate resilient places, the Committee seeks expertise in green finance and achieving net zero, and welcomes applications from candidates representing the diverse communities within the Thames catchment. Members will be appointed as impartial individuals and not to represent an organisation. The deadline for applications is 25 February 2021. For more information or an application pack email thamesrfcc@environment-agency.gov.uk
Webinar series: decarbonisation and the role of technology In the build up to COP26, Resilience First, in partnership with Intel, will present a series of webinars in March 2021 on the theme of decarbonisation and the role of technology, followed by a white paper in the next quarter. Focused on aviation, manufacturing, rail, and urbanisation, the series will explore the ways in which technology can support these sectors in adaptation, energy efficiency, renewables, and carbon capture. Each webinar will feature a keynote address followed by technical demonstrations. All webinars are free to attend, find more information here.
Heat and Health in the WHO European Region The WHO Regional Office for Europe’s 2008 guidance on heat–health action planning and its associated materials provides a frame of reference for member states in their efforts to respond to heatwaves and to prevent and minimize their health impacts. More than a decade since the publication of the guidance, the continuous steady rise in both mean temperatures and extreme heat events underscores its importance and the urgency of its implementation. This publication collates and summarizes the most relevant evidence published since 2008, focusing on the 53 member states served by the WHO Regional Office for Europe. The report centers around the eight core elements of a heat health action plan (HHAP), covering governance; alert systems; communication; interventions to reduce indoor exposure; care for vulnerable populations, preparedness; long-term planning; and surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation of HHAPs.
Natural Environment Investment Readiness Fund To support the government’s 25 year environment plan, green finance strategy and 10 point plan for a green industrial revolution, this fund administered by the Environment Agency will help with the development of environmental projects in England that 1) help achieve one or more outcomes from the 25 year environment plan, 2) are able to produce revenue from ecosystem services to attract and repay investment, or 3) produce an investment model that can be scaled up and reproduced. Grants of £10,000 to £100,000 are available, and the deadline to apply is 26 March. Find more information about how to apply here.
National Infrastructure Commission annual monitoring report In its report issued 17 February, the NIC welcomed the government’s national infrastructure strategy, published in November 2020, and hopes to see clear plans for how the strategy’s ambitions will become reality. Read about the priorities and the NIC’s assessment of progress here.
National Heritage Lottery Green Recovery Challenge Fund round 2 The National Lottery Heritage Fund’s latest newsletter gives advance notice of the upcoming launch of round 2 of the Green Recovery Challenge Fund, which will be open to environmental charities and partnerships involving at least one environmental charity. The previous round called for nature projects with an adaptation focus; details of that can be found here.
Questionnaire: standards for climate services As we’ve mentioned previously, the UK Climate Resilience Programme is running a project on standards for climate services. As part of the project, they are seeking feedback from providers and users of climate services via a very short questionnaire. It should take no more than 3 – 5 minutes to complete. In this project, climate services are defined as those involving the production, translation, transfer, and use of climate information in decision-making. Services include adaptation advice linked to science, seasonal forecasting and services based on historic/observed climate data.
Sustainability resources for small businesses Our friends at FuturEcoLogic have produced a series of video shorts exploring various areas of sustainability when applied strategically to an organisation. Aimed initially at small and medium sized enterprises, the videos cover topics including building a framework for action, governance, energy and carbon reduction, and water. Others are in the pipeline and you can find contact details to provide feedback and suggestions at the link.