Energia

Foreword

Climate change represents one of the greatest challenges facing humanity over this century. To meet this challenge we have to reduce our emissions of greenhouse gases. We must alsorecognise that some climate change is now unavoidable so we need to start adapting now to the predicted impacts we are likely to see in the future. Over the next twenty years a significant amount ofnew housing will be required in the UK, and particularly in the south east, London and the east of England. The government’s response, as set out in the Sustainable Communities Plan, is to developintegrated communities at appropriate sites across the three regions. These new developments will stand for many decades. It is therefore vital we think from the outset how buildings andinfrastructure can be adapted to cope with the climate they are likely to experience over their lifetime. This guidance sets out the climate change adaptation issues that planners and developers should considerat each stage of the development process, and ways to respond to them. It will help planners and developers implement current planning guidance, including Planning Policy Statement 1: DeliveringSustainable Communities. It links up with the government’s wider approach to climate change adaptation as an output of Defra’s cross-regional research programme as well as with our own Adapting toClimate Change: A Checklist for Development. Through use of this document we can help ensure that the new communities we construct are truly sustainable - that they remain comfortable, safe andattractive places for many decades to come.

Gerry Acher CBE LVO Chair of London Climate Change Partnership

John Rumble Chair of Climate Change Steering Group, East of England Sustainable DevelopmentRoundtable

Graham Tubb MBE Chair of South East Climate Change Partnership

Adapting to climate change impacts – a good practice guide for sustainable communities | October 2006

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