Examples of ‘climate-smart’
thinking in planning ahead
A RANGE FROM DIFFERENT SITUATIONS
The Broads Authority and its partners are looking at adaptation to get the best for
the Broads from predicted climate change and sea level rise.
Through the Broads 0Community project, we are working with stakeholders to
share conclusions to date and common ideas on the next steps. The information
and ideas here are therefore open to debate and change.
THOUGHTS FROM A BOATYARD
Response to
change
Resist change
and make
alterations to
keep things
the same
Example of action
Our considerations
Accept yard will flood but build
in higher levels of defence raise flood walls, lift vital items
off floor level, move electric
points higher, invest in more
rapid restoration plans
Accept
change and
make no
alterations
Accept yard will flood and use
existing restoration procedures
to get back to operational level
Accept
change and
make
alterations to
get the best
from the
situation
Change flood defences to
much higher level of
protection; devise scheme to
channel flood water to known
location, perhaps for re-use;
alter yard configuration to
reduce risk to people and
property; modify buildings so
flood impacts are minimal and
rapid restoration can occur
Review viability of yard and
modify business, from moving
location to altering business
(e.g. to floating maintenance
docks). Make changes in
advance or wait for trigger
points to be reached.
To keep roughly same level of
operation we need to keep flood
waters out or alter factors that would
be affected. Not all floods can be
resisted but improvements could
mean our business time lost remains
‘average’.
Our current response procedures work
ok, this would be just coping with a
different regime (e.g. more flood
events, higher depths of water) – is
this acceptable?
What could we do to get best from
situation – e.g. could excess water
have beneficial use somewhere?
Could we change things so flood
impacts are less significant? (e.g.
buildings/storage levels that float up
on water levels?)
Accept
change and
alter goals,
objectives or
strategies
Do projected changes suggest that at
some point our current business will
not be viable? Can we move, change
what we do or how we do it? How far
in advance does our business model
need to plan for?
THOUGHTS FROM A CAMPSITE
Response to
change
Resist change
and seek to
make alterations
that keep things
the same
Accept change
and make no
alterations
Accept change
and make
alterations to
get the best
from the
situation
Accept change
and alter your
goals, objectives
or strategies
The Cli
Example of action
Considerations
Develop action plans to
cope with extreme weather
such as opening additional
drying rooms and wet
weather provisions; increase
shade options for high
season; look to move pitches
into areas less at risk of
flooding
Expand scale of pitches to
maximise returns when
weather is good; revise
refund policies in case of
damage or disappointment;
alter insurance cover and
explain to customers
Bring in programme of
resurfacing to convert to allweather pitches over time;
invest in new central
facilities to provide relief
from extremes (from drying
facilities to cool rooms and
peak season swimming
pool)
Move investment from
simple tent pitches to more
sophisticated
accommodation able to
cope with climate ranges
(e.g. lodges, demountable
roofing); plan to relocate
campsite to more suitable
venue
Can we modify the site’s design
and practices to make it easier
to cope with the new range of
variable weather? Would that
work for the differing seasons
the business has to cope with?
Camping is often seen as a risky
accommodation option so
perhaps we should concentrate
on heavy advertising through a
‘better’ summer to offset losses
from extreme events?
Can we become more flexible,
offering a range of new services
and opportunities? Better help
when weather is poor and more
space and options when it’s
good? How far forward can we
plan new investment?
Will we always be just surviving
if it’s only tents? Should we look
at lodges as well/instead? Can
we offer something else like
outdoor sports and have the
camping as an adjunct to that?
THOUGHTS FROM A VILLAGE HALL
Response to
change
Resist change
and seek to
make alterations
that keep things
the same
Example of action
Considerations
Introduce new material to
retain potential for use of hall
in extreme conditions – e.g.
more insulation, double
glazing, all-weather car park
surfacing
Accept change
and make no
alterations
Provide advice to (potential)
hirers on avoiding pitfalls due
to weather extremes (e.g.
alternative parking provision).
Change financial aspects (e.g.
increase insurance cover,
discount hire costs at certain
times). Improve recovery
processes (e.g. tiling floors to
allow quick wash over and reopening after flood)
Introduce insulation, low
energy heat recovery
systems, window shutters to
allow comfortable usage in
wider range of conditions.
Alter car parking surfacing
and layout with more trees
providing shade/protection.
Instigate flood defence plan.
Explore reuse of site for other
purposes to allow relocation
of hall with re-build using
grants to modernise and
bring in low carbon options
and mechanisms to cope with
weather extremes (e.g. self
drain car park surfacing).
We need to re-think ‘normal use’
as weather alters and make
changes to keep the hall
attractive for use in heat waves
or where extreme events would
make normal use difficult (e.g.
flooded areas)
We should expect users to make
the necessary changes as difficult
weather may well be sporadic –
e.g. occasionally flooded car
park. Our role would be to
consider new management
choices be it insurance cover or
charging arrangements.
Accept change
and make
alterations to
get the best
from the
situation
“…..and by
planning ahead
we can ensure
that any
investment takes
account of
projected change
– even building
in flexibility to
cope with the
uncertainty.”
Accept change
and alter your
goals, objectives
or strategies
Any investment that makes the
hall more attractive and suitable
for changing conditions must
bring returns that justify the
outlay. Can we lower running
costs as well improve usage?
Perhaps closer collaboration with
users would work well?
Maybe the hall is just too old to
cope with retro-fits? The site may
be very valuable so flog off and
rebuild elsewhere?
Could it have an alternative use
that still brings public benefit?
THOUGHTS FROM A FARM
Response to
change
Resist change
and seek to
make alterations
that keep things
the same
Accept change
and make no
alterations
Example of action
Considerations
Increase frequency and scope
of monitoring procedures;
increase application of
(precautionary) pesticide
Increasing likelihood of disease
probably means we should step
up our existing precautions to
retain a similar level of risk.
Retain existing practices but as
losses may be greater instigate
compensatory practices, e.g.
increase insurance; modify
cropping/stocking regimes
Accept change
and make
alterations to
get the best
from the
situation
Review cropping and stocking
and move towards more
resistance varieties; change
management practices to
minimise impacts; initiate new
precautions such as different
insurance packages
Review cropping and stocking
and identify where risk of
impact is too great. Modify
farming practices to new
regimes/outputs more suited
to likely conditions (changing
over time or when trigger
points are reached)
We feel dealing with pests and
disease is about risk
management. Things may not
happen and impacts could be
tolerated. How much worse
must it be to impact on the
business?
Maybe it’s time to alter
resistance of crops or stock
through new varieties, greater
precautionary steps (e.g. more
sprays), new farming regimes,
or just better insurance?
Accept change
and your alter
goals, objectives
or strategies
Good risk analysis enables us to
consider options. Could be we
alter what and how we farm?
Could we diversify completely?
Would that be incremental or
step changes when trigger
points are reached (e.g.
droughts too frequent )
Join the Broads Community – Join the debate!
Broads 0Community wants to help people to develop their ‘climate smart’
adaptation planning. Contact us for more information, and to share ideas
about flood risk management and other adaptation measures.
Website: www.broads-authority.gov.uk/managing/climate-change
Email: broadscommunity@broads-authority.gov.uk
Tel: 01603 756025
Post: Broads Community, c/o Broads Authority, Yare House,
62-64 Thorpe Road, Norwich, Norfolk NR1 1RY
Jun 2015