The Coalition Government has already endorsed action to meet the challenges of climate change, to reduce emissions at home and abroad to protect and prepare for the climatic changes that are already inevitable.
Actions include:
- Protecting the public from immediate risk
- Preparing for the future
- Limiting the severity of future climate change through a new international climate agreement
- Building a low carbon UK
- Supporting Individuals,communities and businesses to play their part
In this respect there is increasing evidence in sectoral and technical journals that the construction industry, financial and energy sectors (IPPC Working Group Two 2007), including central and local government, consultants, contractors, material and energy suppliers, insurers and bankers are beginning to play their part in addressing climate change. However, in order for all sectors in the industry, both public and private, to benefit more appropriately and share their individual initiatives, there is a clear need to improve the dissemination effort of the achieved results.
In conclusion, it is considered that the challenge for transport professionals will clearly be to provide effective technical proposals for mitigation, as well as resilient and appropriate adaptation solutions to the impacts of climate change. But with this challenge will also come the responsibility to ensure that such solutions offered, balance the risks for the UK economy, the environment and the wider social implications whilst remaining sustainable for future generations.
Relevant design standards based on historical climate data only, are no longer appropriate and will need to integrate future forecast changes in the climate. This will be essential to ensure that the transport infrastructure level of service will be maintained in the changed climate.
What is at stake is not only to ensure that infrastructure useful life and safety is maintained, but also to access insurance and project finance and to recognize that climate change adaptation may also avoid costly legal liabilities.