MD3291 Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change – London Climate Ready Partnership

1.1.    This decision concerns the London-related work to support the development of a UK-wide hub driving research and action to improve the UK’s adaptation to climate change. The work will be delivered by the London Climate Ready Partnership (LCRP), hosted by the GLA. The LCRP is receiving external funding to deliver this work. 
1.2.    The Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) Hub is a consortium of world-leading researchers on climate-risk assessment and adaptation planning, along with adaptation knowledge-exchange organisations, across the UK and devolved administrations. The overarching goal is to support the skills, partnerships, knowledge transfer, data and evidence required to drive effective and sustainable UK climate adaptation. Working with key stakeholders from the public, private and third sectors, the hub will deliver transformations in vulnerability and resilience across important sectors.
1.3.    There is evidence of pervasive and mounting ‘adaptation gaps’. These are generated as the impacts of climate change rapidly intensify and interact with social, economic and physical risks to amplify exposure and vulnerability, undermining resilience. 
1.4.    The UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) has highlighted adaptation gaps for the UK. In response to the CCC’s third Risk Assessment, which set out a comprehensive analysis of climate-related risks, in 2023 the UK government published the Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3). NAP3 attracted criticism for its focus on protecting physical assets, and for its piecemeal approach to adaptation. Importantly, NAP3 does not set out a coherent, urgency-driven UK-wide vision for climate resilience across society that is mainstreamed throughout government. This is due, in part, to lack of a coherent approach and clear programme of delivery. 
1.5.    The London Climate Resilience Review (LCRR), commissioned by the Mayor of London, also called for better coordination and clarity to ensure that effective climate adaptation and resilience are delivered. It highlighted that the lack of a national strategy, vision and clear plans were preventing progress in responding effectively to increasing climate shocks. 
Proposal 
1.6.    The MACC Hub combines the expertise of five leading adaptation partnerships/knowledge-exchange organisations across the UK with a team of well-networked research leaders from eight UK academic institutions. The MACC Hub is located at the King’s College London (KCL) Policy Institute; each UK nation forms an individual spoke of the hub. Each spoke comprises an academic institution and adaptation/knowledge-exchange partner. The LCRP, Brunel University and Sustainability West Midlands make up the England spoke, with the latter providing support for activities outside London.
1.7.    The MACC Hub is funded through UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology. 
1.8.    The MACC Hub will provide support to enable delivery at scale, with consistent activity across regions, to address the emerging challenges of adaptation.
1.9.    The LCRP is a voluntary independent partnership funded and hosted by the Mayor of London. It brings together organisations from the public, private and third sectors to share knowledge and expertise on climate adaptation. The GLA provides secretariat support to the LCRP. 
1.10.    The LCRP has been allocated £262,860 to deliver a range of activities for the England spoke of the hub, over three years. The LCRP will be supported by Sustainability West Midlands, which will provide capacity to deliver activities outside London.
1.11.    Funding is to be used for the following:
•    £210,000 – staff costs to fund a full-time coordinator over the course of three years, which covers cost and internal charges
•    £43,200 – workshop development and delivery 
•    £6,600 – travel expenditure 
•    £3,000 – contingency costs.
1.12.    Approval is being sought in parallel for the coordinator post through the establishment control processes. KCL will lead on coordinating activities across all devolved nations, and will provide a central MACC Hub function. Funding from UKRI will be held centrally by KCL. The LCRP will make quarterly claims in arrears to fund the activities undertaken, according to a set of agreed milestones outlined in a detailed project plan. 
1.13.    Project activities include:
•    planning and delivering six events and synthesis reports on: 
o    climate adaptation guidance
o    weather and climate data training
o    leadership training in systems thinking
o    climate modelling
o    creating a user-focused data portal
o    identifying research gaps
•    developing a stakeholder engagement strategy based on stakeholder mapping exercise 
•    contributing to engagement strategy for the MACC Hub
•    contributing to the delivery of a series of policy labs, and the creation of a policy response unit, around climate-adaptation challenges aimed at policymakers
•    agreeing and allocating funding to relevant research projects, as part of the project’s flexible research fund 
•    input into the development of the data portal and website for the MACC Hub. 
1.14.    A collaboration agreement between the GLA and KCL sets out the details of the funding allocation, and outlines activities to be delivered by the LCRP as part of the MACC Hub project. 
 

2.1.    The MACC Hub addresses the following challenges:
•    weak awareness and understanding of adaptation in society
•    a focus on immediate (rather than long-term or systemic) causes of climate risk
•    piecemeal, incremental and siloed approaches to adaptation, with poor cross-sectoral collaboration and action
•    an unreadiness, from institutions and policy, to integrate and enable adaptation
•    immature and fragmented capacity to analyse transformative adaptation. 
2.2.    To address these challenges the MACC Hub has five objectives:
•    to assess barriers to awareness of, and engagement with, adaptation by diverse public; and to develop more effective communication and engagement approaches
•    to explore the effectiveness of Welsh and Scottish approaches to wellbeing and future generations (i.e., the Wellbeing of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2015, and the Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill, under consultation) that embed long-term and justice-oriented adaptation; and to consider their relevance for local delivery
•    to increase understanding of system complexity by establishing a cross-sectoral community of practice; this approach will enhance our knowledge of systemic risks from multiple perspectives, and will develop the systems-thinking capabilities of decision-makers for transformational adaptation outcomes
•    to identify and address aspects of policy, legislation and regulation that hold back the adaptation vision proposed in the NAP3; and to propose an alternative vision with the potential to maximise adaptation
•    to enhance the accessibility and understanding of climate-model results for decision-makers; and to improve the pipeline for embedding more timely evidence into decision-making processes. 
2.3.    Expected outcomes are as follows:
•    pathways to a well-adapted UK: development of a London vision to feed into a better-adapted UK, producing just-transition pathways for change based on new knowledge and best practice
•    effective UK-wide partnerships: development of whole-UK partnerships, made up of local stakeholders, to maximise the coordination and translation of adaptation data into practice
•    policy coherence: better understanding of the policy landscape and new advisory mechanisms to provide policymakers, at national and local levels, with the policy advice that enables local/regional adaptation action
•    a step-change in implementation: accelerated action on adaptation, leveraging projects in the pipeline, and benefiting from improved data and knowledge provision
•    just delivery: a vulnerability and justice-oriented approach embedded across the UK that aligns with current policy priorities. 
2.4.    The MACC Hub funding runs for three years. It is hoped that, by building capacity and partnerships for climate adaptation amongst organisations and individuals, and developing long-term resources (such as the web portal and data service OpenCLIM), the MACC Hub will provide what is needed for work and progress to continue into the longer term.
2.5.    The project will be delivered at a London level by the local coordinator, who will be managed by the LCRP manager. The project has been divided into four main work packages, with pairs of partner organisations leading or co-leading on individual work packages. The LCRP is co-leading the data and information, and Flexible Fund work packages. The work across all packages will be managed by the central MACC Hub coordinator based at KCL. They will work closely with local coordinators in each UK nation to manage the work. A whole-project Gantt chart has been developed, outlining the role of each organisation making up the MACC Hub; and a local Gantt chart has been created for the LCRP’s work programme in London.
 

3.1.    Under section 149 of the Equality Act 2010, the Mayor and GLA are subject to the public sector equality duty and must have due regard to the need to: 
•    eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation
•    advance equality of opportunity between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not
•    foster good relations between people who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. 
3.2.    The “protected characteristics” are age, disability, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation and marriage/civil partnership status. The duty involves having appropriate regard to these matters as they apply in the circumstances, including having regard to the need to: 
•    remove or minimise any disadvantage suffered by those who share or are connected to a protected characteristic
•    take steps to meet the different needs of such people
•    encourage them to participate in public life or in any other activity where their participation is disproportionately low. 
3.3.    This can involve treating people with a protected characteristic more favourably than those without one.
3.4.    Climate impacts are felt unequally across London, with poorer, disadvantaged communities often living in conditions that magnify the impact of climate change. Those living in housing with poor access to good-quality open space, adequate ventilation or poor levels of insulation can suffer disproportionately from the effects of extreme heat; be at higher risk from flooding; and be less able to take necessary action to reduce their risks. 
3.5.    Climate impacts can also be felt disproportionately amongst people with protected characteristics, and there is a high level of intersection across impacts. Older or pregnant women, and very young children, are more likely to suffer from the effects of extreme heat. Disabled Londoners are less likely to be able to take action to protect themselves against flash flooding. Those with underlying health conditions are at risk from increased mortality due to the combination of extreme heat and poor air quality. Supporting vulnerable communities and individuals to adapt to a changing climate, and enabling climate equity, is recognised by the hub as a priority that will inform its activities and outputs. 
3.6.    Addressing climate impacts, and building capacity to respond, will benefit those most impacted by climate change. The hub will focus on the climate-justice approaches to adaptation planning taken by the Scottish and Welsh governments. This will ensure action is targeted where it is needed most to deliver a just transition to a better adapted UK. 
3.7.     The project will value the diverse and unique identities of all core team members and partners by instilling, nurturing and safeguarding an accessible, welcoming and respectful environment for all, acknowledging different lived experiences, cultural norms and expectations. The MACC Hub senior management team (SMT) will co-produce a project Code of Practice that sets expectations about behaviours and mechanisms for accountability to each other and wider stakeholder communities. To support this Code of Practice, the MACC Hub will establish a complaints and conflict resolution function as part of its management structure. Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) will be a standing item on the SMT agenda. The hub will nominate an EDI Champion, who will ensure EDI best practice; report to the SMT on progress; and provide a focal point for any EDI concerns among hub members. All hub members will undertake EDI training. The hub will implement EDI monitoring of all activities annually, including the Flexible Fund. Mechanisms will be put in place to ensure that recommendations can be rapidly implemented. Further, the MACC Hub will implement anonymous surveys every six months to gauge the experience of team members and the SMT will act on the findings within a month of receiving the results. 
3.8.    Recruitment for hub support posts will be led by local spoke organisations who possess deeper understanding of the context within which researchers will be working. Job advertisements will be reviewed by the EDI champion and institutional EDI bodies to ensure unbiased and inclusive language. 
3.9.    The Flexible Fund will use a double-blind review process to avoid unconscious biases. Best practice in funding assessments will be kept up to date and adjustments made where necessary. For example, randomised decision-making on proposals that score above a certain benchmark may be implemented. An Ethical Impact Assessment for funding and work allocation, and for considering research partner and community involvement will be implemented, this is in addition to local policies and processes that ensure fair and equitable decision making on funding allocation.
 

Key risks and issues 
4.1.    A risk register will be developed for the overall project delivery, and will be a standing item on all hub management team meetings. The table below lists the risks and mitigations specific to the LCRP spoke of the MACC Hub project. 

Links to Mayoral strategies
4.2.    This work has direct links to the overall aim of the London Environment Strategy to make Londoners resilient to severe weather and longer-term impacts of climate change, including flood, heat and drought. 
4.3.    The GLA is committed to taking forward the recommendations of the LCRR, and to make London more resilient to the impacts of climate change. The work of the MACC Hub will directly support this commitment by increasing adaptation knowledge and capacity; plugging research gaps to provide evidence for action; and raising awareness, amongst the general public, of the need to adapt and how to do this. The activities of the MACC Hub will help support work to take forward the LCRR recommendations, including: 
•    the development of an adaptation vision
•    helping London stakeholders understand climate risk data and develop climate adaptation plans 
•    a funding programme to support acceleration of climate adaptation
•    a public engagement programme on climate adaptation, which will help support London engagement on climate 
convening sectors and organisations across London to share best practice and develop action plans. 
Consultations and impact assessments
4.4.    This is a UK wide project to develop the knowledge and capacity around both the impacts of a changing climate and responses to reduce negative impacts. The project will support the skills, partnerships, knowledge transfer, and data and evidence required to drive effective and sustainable UK climate adaptation. Working with key stakeholders from the public, private and third sector it will deliver transformations in vulnerability and resilience across key social and economic sectors. 
4.5.    The programme will use the approach to future generations and climate justice applied by the Scottish and Welsh governments to ensure that there is a focus on long term and future impacts, and on the need to address inequality of impacts. It is understood that the impacts of climate change fall disproportionately and addressing this imbalance and prioritising those most affected is a core principle of the project. The climate risk maps and additional evidence and research from existing GLA work will help support better understanding of who is most impacted.
4.6.    A critical part of the hub’s activities is public engagement, which aims to raise awareness of climate impacts and responses, both at organisational but also individual level.
4.7.    Policy labs as part of the project could help identify potential for strengthening London policy to protect existing and new infrastructure from future climate shocks. Climate risk data from the project will also help inform work to support greater resilience in the built environment.
4.8.    More information, including a link to the full Climate and Equalities tool and the results from it, is set out in the appendix. 
4.9.    A data management plan was developed as part of the hub bid, and a more detailed plan is now being finalised. This includes mandatory training on data management for all hub partners; and GDPR-compliant data-management processes, including storage and data sharing.
Conflicts of interest 
4.10.    No conflicts of interest have been identified for any officers involved in the development of this proposal or drafting or clearance of this decision form. 
 

5.1.    Approval is requested for: 
•    the acceptance of £262,860 of funding from KCL for the LCRP to deliver activities over three years, as part of the MACC Hub; this covers the cost of a designated staff member, workshops, associated travel and contingency
•    entry into a collaboration agreement with KCL to deliver the activities described therein.
5.2.    The estimated profile of the income and expenditure is shown below:

5.3.    Note, the estimated staffing costs above include the £9,000 GLA Staff Support charge that is applied to externally funded posts. 
5.4.    The income funding this will be claimed from KCL quarterly, in arrears.
5.5.    All relevant budget adjustments will be made. 
 

6.1.    The foregoing sections of this report indicate that:
•    the decisions requested of the Mayor may be considered to facilitate the GLA’s delivery of its environment strategy; and concern the exercise of the GLA’s general powers, falling within the GLA’s statutory powers and duties, exercisable by the Mayor, to do anything facilitative of, or conducive or incidental to, the promotion of the improvement of the environment in Greater London
•    in formulating the proposals in respect of which a decision is sought, officers have complied with the GLA’s related statutory duties to:
o    pay due regard to the principle that there should be equality of opportunity for all people
o    consider how the proposals will promote the improvement of health of persons, health inequalities between persons and to contribute towards the achievement of sustainable development in the United Kingdom
o    consult with appropriate bodies.
6.2.    In taking the decisions requested, the Mayor must have due regard to the Public Sector Equality Duty – namely the need to eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other conduct prohibited by the Equality Act 2010; and to advance equality of opportunity, and foster good relations, between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic (race, disability, sex, age, sexual orientation, religion or belief, pregnancy and maternity, and gender reassignment) and persons who do not share it (section 149 of the Equality Act 2010). To this end, the Mayor should have particular regard to section 3 (above) of this report.
6.3.    If the Mayor makes the decision sought officers must ensure that:
•    no reliance is placed upon the funding until and unless a legally binding commitment to its provision has been secured from KCL, and the collaboration agreement mentioned has been executed by the GLA and KCL on terms with which the GLA is content it can comply
•    if it is proposed that the GLA is to incur expenditure concerning the:  
o    award of grant funding, it is distributed fairly, transparently, in accordance with the GLA’s equalities and in manner that affords value for money in accordance with the Contracts and Funding Code; and appropriate funding documentation is put in place between, and executed by, the GLA and recipients of such funding before any commitment to fund is made
o    purchase of services, suppliers or works, they are procured in liaison with TfL Procurement in accordance with the Contracts and Funding Code; and appropriate contract documentation is put in place between and executed by the GLA and contractors before commencement
o    GLA staffing matters, all applicable GLA HR protocols are followed and related approvals obtained. 
 

7.1.    The project will be delivered according to the following timetable:

Appendix 1 - Climate and equalities impact assessment