Events
UKCCRA4 Local Authority Climate Change Adaptation Webinar
On 2 April 2025, Verture attended a UK-wide webinar for local authorities hosted by the Climate Change Committee (CCC) and facilitated by CAG Consultants, as part of the development of the UK’s Fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA4), due in Spring 2026.
The session brought together local authorities from across England, Scotland, and Wales to share experiences, identify challenges, and explore solutions for adapting to climate change at a local level. Despite growing awareness and inclusion of climate risks in planning processes, the workshop revealed a persistent gap between planning and implementation—an issue common across all nations.
Flooding, extreme heat, and infrastructure vulnerability emerged as shared priority concerns. While many councils have begun climate risk assessments, the scope, methods, and available support vary widely.
Participants also explored the CCC’s updated risk assessment framework, which now includes five thematic areas: the built environment, economy, health and wellbeing, infrastructure, and land, nature and food. A key focus of CCRA4 will be making risk information more spatially relevant for local areas—something many local authorities welcomed.
Barriers to effective adaptation were also discussed, including:
- A lack of statutory duty for adaptation (particularly in England and Wales)
- Limited funding and resources
- Capacity and skills gaps
- Difficulties in building preventative business cases
- Fragmented tracking of climate-related incidents
Local authorities called for stronger government leadership through clearer statutory duties, dedicated funding, and integration of adaptation into mainstream decision-making.
The CCC will use insights from this session to inform local-level advice and develop “archetype pathways” for different community types—coastal, rural, and urban—supporting adaptation planning tailored to place.
Useful resources:
- An explainer on the CCC’s current adaptation monitoring approach: CCC Adaptation Monitoring Framework – Climate Change Committee
- The web page from the CCRA4 launch last year: Proposed methodology for the Fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment – Independent Assessment (CCRA4-IA) – Climate Change Committee
- The Met Office call for evidence, which includes the lists of risks: Climate Change Risk Assessment Independent Assessment (CCRA4-IA) Technical Report – Met Office
Verture will continue to stay involved in the process and share updates as CCRA4 develops.
