An expansion of sustainability skills and training will be required to adapt the UK economy to the increased risk from heat, flooding and drought, the Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP) has said.
ISEP was commenting following the publication of the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) latest report, A Well Adapted UK, which identified cooling, flood protection and a more secure water supply as the ‘most critical priorities’ to protect the UK from extreme-weather related risks.
Without decisive action, these risks will escalate, the CCC noted – by the middle of the century, some 92% of UK homes could face overheating risks, peak river flows may rise by up to 45%, and water supply shortages could exceed five billion litres per day.
Workforce capability
As ISEP noted, workforce capability and specialist training must form a ‘key part’ of the estimated £11 billion in annual investment the committee says is needed to prepare the country for worsening climate impacts.
“We need urgent action to future-proof our economy and protect the public from the impacts of climate change, which are already being felt and will only increase,” commented Sarah Mukherjee, CEO of ISEP.
“Action cannot wait – this report is essential reading for businesses that are looking to manage climate risks in the near and long term. Excess heat, for instance, can cause serious impacts on employee health, productivity, and could possibly expose employers to future claims of negligence.”
Unlocking adaptation
Improving sustainability skills and climate expertise across sectors will be essential to unlocking adaptation efforts at the scale required to respond to a “rapidly changing environment,” she added, alongside investments, policies, and regulations.
“The right expertise will support communities in areas that are needed to transform, such as farming, and it will enable implementation to occur at the rate we desperately need in order to avoid significant impacts.”
ISEP is set to publish new guidance designed to help businesses assess and manage climate-related risks.
In its report, the CCC noted that the £11 billion in investment per year required to tackle extreme weather will ‘generate returns in the tens of billions’, across both the public and private sectors. Read more here and here.
