Well-being plan for Pembrokeshire

Project Plan: Climate adaptation

Project background

Past emissions mean that climate change is inevitable and whilst the future severity of change can be diminished by reducing carbon emissions into the atmosphere by decarbonisation, there is also a need to prepare for or adapt to the wide range of risks resulting from climate change. Pilot project work undertaken by the PSB in Pembrokeshire communities identified the need to develop a co-ordinated strategic approach within which agencies, authorities and community groups could address the risks associated with the changing climate. This work also identified a need to engage decision makers at regional, county and community level on climate risk and adaptation.

Well-being Assessment data clearly shows a need to adapt, and that climate change will increase the number of properties in Pembrokeshire that are already at risk of flooding or coastal inundation (the number of properties identified in the Well-being Assessment was 3000). Impacts to infrastructure and key services will also affect the health and well-being of communities. A successful bid to the UK Community Renewal Fund by Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum (PCF) and Netherwood Sustainable Futures (NSF) with support from the PSB has subsequently delivered a Climate Adaptation Strategy for Pembrokeshire.

The strategy provides a strategic and co-ordinated approach to climate change and climate adaptation for Pembrokeshire’s communities. With a timescale of 2022 – 2027 the strategy provides building blocks to commence preparation for the coming decades. PSB partners, together with a wide range of stakeholders including community groups and local businesses informed development of the strategy through a series of participatory stakeholder workshops, surgeries and outreach meetings. The 61 risks in the Climate Change Risk Assessment 3 (CCRA3) were examined resulting in 39 priorities being identified for Pembrokeshire and 24 actions specified for delivery by public bodies and third and private sector partners across the County, to be coordinated by the PSB.

 

Headline actions and sub-actions, including timescale for delivery

Outputs - What will be delivered?

Outcomes – What will be achieved?  What will change?

Which of the PSB’s Well-being Objectives does this work contribute to and how?

Which of the following Well-being Goals and Well-being areas does this project contribute to? 

How does this project align with the five ways of working?

 

 

Headline actions and sub-actions, including timescale for delivery

 

Headline action: Co-ordinate the implementation of the Climate Adaptation Strategy for Pembrokeshire

Sub-actions;

• Secure senior level advocacy from PSB partners to direct existing resources
• Lead organisations to work collaboratively to determine and secure the resource/funding require to produce and implement a delivery plan for the Strategy
• Monitor and report progress towards implementation of the strategy and delivery plan Continue to collaborate across the public sector, third sector, private sector and local communities to develop evidence and insights on interactions between climate risks and wider social, economic and natural systems
• Work together with a range of stakeholders to implement the delivery plan

Timescale: Medium to long term - 1 to 5 years and beyond

 

Outputs - What will be delivered?

• Strategic support and allocation of resources enabling prioritised implementation of the Strategy
• A delivery plan specifying action leads, timescales, involvement and resource implications

 

Outcomes – What will be achieved?  What will change?

• Greater understanding of risks, the necessity of adaptation and capacity within communities, organisations, service providers and businesses, resulting in informed plans and co-ordinated action
• Implementation of a collaborative, strategic approach to climate adaptation
• Communities will be better adapted and more resilient to climate change for decades to come

 

Which of the PSB’s Well-being Objectives does this work contribute to and how?

Well-being Objective 1

Support growth, jobs and prosperity and enable the transition to a more sustainable and greener economy

• Adaptation activity will contribute directly to sustainability within tourism, agriculture, industry and businesses sectors. Increasing preparedness and adaptation following assessment of risks, for example, to infra-structure, water supplies, transport, land use management and energy supplies helps build the resilience needed for viable enterprise. Adaptation activity will also protect the natural resources which business, industry and communities depend upon. Adapting to secure essential natural resources and viable resilient enterprise therefore supports growth, jobs, prosperity and can enable transformative change in the food and energy sectors  leading to a more sustainable and greener economy.

Well-being Objective 2

Work with our communities to reduce inequalities and improve well-being

• By working jointly with communities most at risk, to identify and implement adaptation solutions, exposure to environmental risks from a changing climate will be reduced. This improves well-being by reducing the widespread and long lasting health, environmental and economic impacts affecting homes and businesses which often significantly disrupts the normal functioning of communities. It will also help reduce inequalities as often the most vulnerable in society are the worst affected.

Well-being Objective 3

Promote and support initiatives to deliver decarbonisation, manage climate adaptation and tackle the nature emergency

• Activity will directly help communities, businesses, industry and the public sector to work together to address the impacts, identify ongoing risks, and adapt to climate change. This adaptation activity will be undertaken in conjunction with complimentary activity to decarbonise or mitigate against climate change. Having healthy resilient and sustainably managed ecosystems is vital for adapting to climate change and associated environmental risks as well as tackling the nature emergency.

Well-being Objective 4

Enable safe, connected, resourceful and diverse communities

• Working with communities and a wide variety of stakeholders from the public, private and third sector organisations, to identify solutions to adapt to address the risks and impacts of climate change will help build capacity, capability and confidence to strengthen community cohesion. It will also help inform community profiles and community well-being plans

 

Which of the following Well-being Goals and Well-being areas does this project contribute to? 

Well-being areas

• Environmental
• Economic
• Social
• Cultural

 a prosperous Wales

 a resilient Wales

 a healthier Wales

 a more equal Wales

 a Wales of cohesive communities

 a globally responsible Wales

 

 

How does this project align with the five ways of working?

Long-term: The importance of balancing short-term needs with the needs to safeguard the ability to also meet long-term needs

• The Climate Adaptation Strategy is a 5 year strategy but its implementation provides the building blocks to ensure the adaptability and hence sustainability of communities for generations to come.  

 

Prevention: How acting to prevent problems occurring or getting worse may help public bodies meet their objectives

• The project is based on reducing the impacts of climate change by adapting to make our environment and communities more resilient and therefore better able to deal with these impacts. The focus is on adapting to prevent future exposure to environmental, financial and health risks associated with climate change impacts.

Integration: Considering how the public body’s well-being objectives may impact upon each of the well-being goals, on their objectives, or on the objectives of other public bodies

• Climate Change will impact on all aspects of society, therefore if we do not provide a meaningful response and adapt to the impacts then it will have a negative impact on the well-being objectives of all public bodies as well as private and third sector organisations in Pembrokeshire.

Collaboration: Acting in collaboration with any other person (or different parts of the body itself) that could help the body to meet its well-being objectives

• Responding to and adapting to climate change requires all organisations on the PSB to collaborate. While some will have a greater role than others, all will need to participate in this work.

Involvement: The importance of involving people with an interest in achieving the well-being goals, and ensuring that those people reflect the diversity of the area which the body serves

• Adapting to climate changes requires the involvement of people and communities in Pembrokeshire. Some of the actions required will be challenging and therefore ensuring strong community involvement is essential.