Impacts on SW and
background information
Sectors:
- Agriculture and Forestry
- Biodiversity
- Business and Utilities
- Housing and Construction
- Local Government
- Tourism
- Transport
Warming to the idea*
*SW Climate Change Impact Scoping Study including report summary and technical report
Aim:
To engage businesses throughout the South West in addressing their vulnerability to the effects of climate change and maximising the opportunities that arise.
Lead contacts:
Business - Emma Burlow (emma.burlow@businesslinksw.co.uk) of Business Link (SW).
Utilities - Neil Whiter (nwhiter@southwestwater.co.uk) of South West Water.
Latest Progress Report - for past papers, see below
The current Climate SouthWest Business & Utilities Sector Group was established in February 2009 and is working to communicate climate change adaptation messages through existing business support organisations. In February 2010, an MSc student from the University of Exeter was selected to undertake a research project, 'Business vulnerability to extreme weather in the South West: understanding the baseline', which sought to identify whether certain business types/sectors/sizes are more vulnerable to extreme weather than others and to investigate the nature of that vulnerability. The project has now been completed the key findings and the full report are both available from the Tools page of this website.
New case studies in 2010: Climate SouthWest has published adaptation case studies on Western Power Distribution's flood protection work for a major substation site in Exeter and National Grid's climate change adaptation work on managing risks. These can be found on the case studies - business & utilities page.
Climate Change: Are You Prepared? During March 2009 Climate SouthWest offered a programme of free half-day workshops for small businesses in the Agriculture, Construction, Food and Drink, and Tourism sectors to help them prepare for the effects of climate change. A final report detailing the outcomes and feedback from the
workshops is available on request. The workshop presentations include useful, sector-specific information on the science, impacts and adaptation responses to climate change and can be downloaded here:
Agriculture workshop (pdf 2Mb)
Construction workshop (pdf 2.5Mb)
Food & Drink workshop (pdf 1.8Mb)
Tourism workshop (pdf 1.8Mb)
Adapting Your Business to Climate Change Workshop (6 June 2008) As part of Climate SouthWest's Adaptation Week, Climate SouthWest held a workshop for businesses called Adapting Your Business to Climate Change. The workshop was designed to advise South West businesses on how they can adapt to climate change. Presentations given on at the workshop can be downloaded here:
Alex Webb's presentation on Climate SouthWest: Climate SouthWest presentation - Alex Webb (pdf 2Mb)
Kylie Russell's climate change science presentation: Climate Change Science - Kylie Russell, EA (pdf 629kb)
Kay Johnstone's (UKCIP) presentation from the workshop, The Business Case for Adaptation: UKCIP - external site.
Tools
Please visit our Tools page for access to relevant tools and reports for the Business and Utilities sector.
Past Papers etc
Business Sector Group meeting minutes 5 Mar 2010 (doc).
Business Sector Group meeting minutes 16 Nov 2009 (doc).
Business Sector Group meeting minutes 3 Aug 2009 (doc).
Business Sector Group meeting minutes 22 May 2009 (doc).
Business Sector Group meeting minutes 17 Feb 2009 (doc).
Marketing and Climate Change workshops (13 February & 1 March 2007) - CIM, Climate SouthWest & Horizon SW collaborating on this project, download the Presentations by Carole Bond & Sarah Hendel-Blackford (WARNING! Very large power point file, 8.25Mb).
"The Bottom Line: How can your business respond to the challenges and opportunities of climate change" - 7 December 2006, Bristol - Note: Graphics have been removed to enable ease of downloading. Papers presented at this event:
Opening speech by conference chairman (Paul Collins, Bond Pearce LLP) (pdf 57kb)
Overview of climate change impacts (national and SW) and a partnership approach to tackling climate change - Sarah Hendel-Blackford, SWCCIP (pdf 276kb)
Changing Business Practice: The implications of climate change for business - Gerry Metcalf, UKCIP (pdf 304kb)
The impact of agriculture and food distribution on climate change - Gundula Azeez, Soil Association (pdf 136kb)
Examples of businesses that have managed climate change to their advantage - James Jacobs, Envision (pdf 104kb)
Reducing business greenhouse gas emissions: The role of the Carbon Trust and examples of benefits to business - Duncan Bardsley, Carbon Trust (pdf 260 kb)
Reducing business greenhouse gas emissions: The role of Envirowise and examples of benefits to business - Carole Bond, Envirowise (pdf 1.8Mb)
Counting the Cost: An insurance viewpoint - Katy Cornish, Association of British Insurers (pdf 193kb)
Managing the weather: climate change and the civil engineer (March 2006) - Joint SWCCIP* - ICE event, 1 March 2006, Bristol *(with Housing & Construction Sector)
Some of the papers presented at this event:
The work of Climate SouthWest - Sarah Hendel-Blackford & Lesley Seymour, Climate SouthWest (pdf 913kb)
Overview of Climate Change Forecasting Research - Fiona Hewer, Met Office (pdf 2.1 Mb)
Climate Change and the Water Supply/Demand Balance - Neil Whiter, South West Water (pdf 3.6Mb)
Effects of Climate Change on Power Supply - Shanti Majithia, National Grid (pdf 1.7Mb)