Cara Jenkinson, Cities Manager, Ashden discusses how local authorities can adapt to the threat of extreme weather.
Last week saw a stark warning for London’s boroughs – that the capital is under-prepared for climate change impacts such flooding and extreme heat.
So says the London Climate Resilience Review interim report, published on January 17. But the truth is that this warning could apply to every corner of the UK.
This week, after a month of downpours and freezing weather, council teams across the UK are battling to clean up and restore services in the wake of Storm Isha. Howling 99mph winds remind us of the destruction that extreme weather can bring, and the threat posed to resident safety and local economies.
Action to build resilient communities is vital. We need to guard against harsher winter weather but also ever-higher summer temperatures (globally, 2023 was the hottest year on record). That’s why the interim report – to which Ashden contributed – calls for a step-change in planning and investment. And what’s true for London is true for the rest of the UK too. National government should lead this effort. But it will need willing and imaginative partners in local government – alongside other public bodies, the private sector and community and voluntary organisations.
Councils have a crucial role to play, in working with residents to deliver and support locally appropriate adaptation projects. A big ask when budgets are stretched – but also a sensible long-term investment, particularly if schemes can deliver other local authority goals.
These might include protecting and restoring nature, boosting resident health and wellbeing, supporting local businesses, or creating better housing.
At Ashden, we work closely with pioneering local authorities, whose fantastic innovation is ready to be scaled up, replicated and learned from.
Bring communities together and help nature thrive
Waterways and green spaces are vital for adaptation – they can absorb or carry away heavy rainfall, but also absorb excess heat and bring shade to crowded urban neighbourhoods.
Great examples of enhancing nature include a partnership between charity Thames21 and Enfield Council. Their project has restored local waterways to a more natural state – and created new wetlands, rain gardens, and woodlands. 5,500 volunteers have been involved in the scheme, helping local people get active – whether they’re tidying riverbanks or just enjoying new footpaths and woods. 130,000 trees have been planted.
Further into the city, Hackney Council is widening access to green spaces for all residents. Three quarters of the borough’s residents don’t have access to a private garden, making this action particularly important. In response, the authority is bringing new facilities and more biodiversity to parks in its most densely populated areas.
The borough’s planning policies encourage the growth of vegetation-packed ‘green roofs’, while it is also investing in food growing on housing estates, volunteering and work experience opportunities linked to parks, and even ‘parklets’ – pocket-sized green spaces on urban streets.
Cool responses to overheating homes
Nearly five million homes in England currently experience summertime overheating – and rising temperatures could see that figure grow even more. Councils can play an important role in tackling excess indoor heat. One tool at their disposal is using planning powers to encourage the creation of homes that stay cool without expensive (and environmentally unfriendly) air conditioning.
Trailblazing examples include City of York Council’s plans to build 400 affordable, ‘zero carbon in-use’ homes on council land. The properties will be built to Passivhaus standard, an approach producing airtight buildings that can be heated or ventilated with minimal energy use. The authority is partnering with local colleges to ensure the scheme also creates good green jobs for the area’s young people.
Authorities will also see the effect of rising temperatures on resident health. One practical response is to invest in smart thermostats, from organisations such as Switchee, in council properties. These monitor humidity and indoor temperature, helping landlords identify and support vulnerable tenants affected heat stress.
Making community engagement count
However authorities take action on adaptation, working with communities is key. Hampshire County Council is a pioneer in this. Its efforts include social media campaigns, sign-posting to partner organisations, and suggested actions for local people – from quick and easy steps to those that are more ambitious.
While no authority can predict every deluge or heatwave ahead, they can all help their communities become more resilient. As always with the climate crisis, inaction puts our most vulnerable residents at greatest risk. But, more positively, action will create significant benefits felt across communities. And that’s a prize worth grabbing, whatever the weather.
