Overview of Glasgow City Region's approach to adaptation as part of the broader economic development agenda, as presented as part of London Climate Week

1. Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.
Supporting economic prosperity through climate resilience
and adaptation: Glasgow City Region’s approach
3 July 2019

2. • 8 municipalities within Glasgow City Region
• £40bn GVA – a third of Scotland’s Economic
Activity
• 1.8m people live, work and play here
• Diverse mix of urban and rural areas
Credit: University of Glasgow

3. • Strategic initiative to support Glasgow City Region
to manage the current and future impacts from the
climate crisis.
• 15 partners establishing a coordinated, cross-
sector long-term approach to adaptation
• Key mechanisms:
– Development of adaptation strategy and action plan,
& shared evidence base
– Capacity building and support
– Climate leadership and advocacy and international
knowledge exchange
• Development of Adaptation Strategy and Action
Plan underway – endorsed by Glasgow City Region
Cabinet
Climate Ready Clyde
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

4. • Supporting Inclusive Economic Growth through climate
proofing
– Ensuring new capital investment achieves expected
financial performance, contributing to long-term
economic uplift
– A significant financial hub – so well placed to be part
of the green finance transition
– Wider private sector confidence – will strengthen
positions in Inward investment tracking service
• Improving attractiveness of City Region as a place to live,
work and play – enhancing our cultural heritage
• Addressing inequality and delivering social justice - Done
correctly, can reduce mental and physical health impacts,
including disproportionate effect on most vulnerable – e.g.
children, elderly, low income, renters
• Fiscal sustainability – Helps avoid unforeseen costs
Strategic framing in Glasgow City Region
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

5. Our members
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

6. Economic framing of adaptation in Glasgow City
Region’s Adaptation Strategy
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

7. Strategy focus
Short term (next 5 years)
• Address priority risks from Risk and Opportunity Assessment in a fiscally and
socially responsible way
Medium term (next 10 years)
• Set the framework to build the City Region’s overall resilience to projected future
climate change to support economic development
• Outline the mechanisms for future delivery – funding and accountability -
partnership working crucial here
• Support City Region's broader agendas around economic development
Long term (10+ years)
• Move upstream into broader socioeconomic processes which drive exposure and
vulnerability
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

8. Climate Risks and
Opportunities for Glasgow
City Region
• 67 climate risks and
opportunities identified for
Glasgow City Region
• Collaborative process,
designed and delivered with
over 100 stakeholders from
across Glasgow City Region,
Scotland and UK
• Advised by international
advisory board of academics,
cities, and the Committee on
Climate Change
• Assumes a 4 degree rise,
though scenarios considered
where available
• Management of risks mapped
to UN SDGs
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

9. Climate risks and opportunities for GCR
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.
All risks related to
economic prosperity due
to systemic nature of
society
For economy, business and
industry, adaptation
economy and tourism
identified as opportunities,
whilst risks to business
disruption, sites, and
supply chains, as well as
water scarcity all identified
as risks

10. • Total aggregate costs
£400m/year in 2050s
• Similar numbers in
terms of benefits but
for different groups
• Large-scale climate
event would have
high financial and
economic impacts, as
well as wider
(multiplier effects) -
hit the public finances

11. Guiding principles for prioritisation of action
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.
Is there a
current or near
term risk?
Is there a major
long-term risk?
No and low regret
adaptation, including
building capacity
Watching brief –
periodic review
‘Climate smart’ incl.
decision making
under uncertainty
‘Early planning /
iterative adaptive
management’
Would early action
have benefits and
build resilience?
Are there benefits
from early activities /
long lead times?
Early decision with a
long life-time / risk of
lock in?
Type of
adaptation
Decision
characteristic
Timing of risk
No Yes
Adapted from Watkiss, P. (2019)

12. Strategy focus
Short term (next 5 years)
• Address priority risks from Risk and Opportunity Assessment in a fiscally and
socially responsible way
Medium term (next 10 years)
• Set the framework to build the City Region’s overall resilience to projected future
climate change to support economic development
• Outline the mechanisms for future delivery – funding and accountability -
partnership working crucial here
• Support City Region's broader agendas around economic development
Long term (10+ years)
• Move upstream into broader socioeconomic processes which drive exposure and
vulnerability
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

13. Floor Target – Minimum
resilience to 1.5 degree rise
• IPCC ‘gives world 11
years before pathways
relatively fixed
• Range of uncertainty
on climate change
• Global emissions target
of 1.5 – 2 degrees
• Government’s ramp up
efforts every 5 years –
next due in 2020
• Aim to build 4-degree
capacity and resilience
now – revise with
mitigation progress
• Actual assumptions
will vary
Emissions Data: Climate
Action Tracker
IPCC 1.5
degree
threshold
Climate resilience trajectory for Glasgow City Region
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

14. Capacity building for change
• Developing a collaborative theory of change – top down
• A ‘bottom-up’ approach to climate risk management for capital
investment underpinning economic development
– Briefing City Region leaders on the new landscape in the context
of global finance and the declaration of climate emergency
– Embedded into draft economic development strategy
– Screening of £1bn Glasgow City Region City Deal for climate risk
with Paul Watkiss Associates
– Development of open-source toolkit to assess infrastructure and
built-environment projects and training
– Emerging public sector commitments on screening investment
for climate risk – University of Glasgow, University of Strathclyde,
local authorities
• Exploring partnerships with risk analysis firms for aligning risk
disclosure with TCFD corporate requirements
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

15. Strategy focus
Short term (next 5 years)
• Address priority risks from Risk and Opportunity Assessment in a fiscally and
socially responsible way
Medium term (next 10 years)
• Set the framework to build the City Region’s overall resilience to projected future
climate change to support economic development
• Outline the mechanisms for future delivery – funding and accountability -
partnership working crucial here
• Support City Region's broader agendas around economic development
Long term (10+ years)
• Move upstream into broader socioeconomic processes which drive exposure and
vulnerability
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

16. • Short term need to recognise
that climate change can
protect and enhance broader
economic, social and
environmental goals
• Longer term need to
recognise that these models
are also driving our
vulnerability and risks to an
extent so have to explore why
and how they can be
addressed
Moving upstream
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

17. Longer term economic development
• Our present economic model is driving uneven
exposure and vulnerability to climate risk, and uneven
adaptation, mirroring broader inequality at global,
national and local scales
• Reform or transformation is needed – a political
debate required about how to do this
• For example: could include readjustment of financial
flows, power structures, economic and social policy
reform and mind-set
• Adaptation to climate change should be a key
consideration in land-use, economic development and
welfare approaches as part of broader transformation
/ environmental & social progress
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

19. Longer term economic development
• Our present economic model is driving uneven
exposure and vulnerability to climate risk, and uneven
adaptation, mirroring broader inequality at global,
national and local scales
• Reform or transformation is needed – a political
debate required about how to do this
• For example: could include readjustment of financial
flows, power structures, economic and social policy
reform and mind-set
• Adaptation to climate change should be a key
consideration in land-use, economic development and
welfare approaches as part of broader transformation
/ environmental & social progress
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.

20. Thank you
Kit England
Climate Ready Clyde Manager
T: 0141 229 7738 / 07791 332250
E: kit@sniffer.org.uk
www.climatereadyclyde.org.uk
@kitengland / @ClimaReadyClyde
Climate Ready Clyde is a cross-sector initiative, funded by 15 partners and
delivered by sustainability charity, Sniffer.