Glasgow City Region Climate Adaptation Strategy and Action Plan
2.5 Assessing social and environmental impacts of the Adaptation Strategy In developing the Strategy, we have sought to better understand both the baseline social and environmental impacts of climate change and the Adaptation Strategy itself. Climate Ready Clyde is committed to ensuring our Adaptation Strategy seeks to create a more fair, just and inclusive region as part of the adaptation process, and ensuring that adaptation builds on and enhances protection of key heritage and environmental designations and frameworks, such as Natura 2000 and the Habitat Regulations. To ensure this, we have undertaken three parallel processes: Social Impact Assessment To better understand the social impacts of climate change and the Strategy interventions, the Climate Ready Clyde Secretariat developed and undertook a Social Impact Assessment. This voluntary assessment was designed to reflect duties under the Equality Act 2010, but also to consider broader social issues associated with climate change in Glasgow City Region. It evaluated the potential social impacts of climate change, developed recommendations for how the interventions could be strengthened to better reflect impacts on particular groups, and the intersectionality of climate and equality issues. Strategic Environmental Assessment The Strategy comes under the scope of the Strategic Environmental Assessment regulations. Therefore, a parallel assessment was run alongside development of the Strategy. This included a Scoping Report and Environmental Report, as well as a post-adoption statement. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process influenced the development of the Adaptation Strategy, strengthening an emphasis on cultural heritage, education of young people on climate issues and by identifying issues for consideration in the Action Plan such as involvement of developers. Habitats Regulations Appraisal In addition to the Strategic Environmental Assessment, the Strategy has been subject to a Habitat Regulations Appraisal Screening, as required by the Habitats Directive (European Council Directive 92/43/ EEC) and the Birds Directive (European Council Directive 79/409/EEC). This has evaluated the impact of the effect of the Strategy on sites of significant nature importance – notably European sites (those formerly known as Natura 2000 sites), Special Protection Areas (SPAs), Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and RAMSAR sites (wetlands of international importance under the 1971 Ramsar Convention). The amendments to the Habitats Regulations following EU Exit mean the requirements of the Habitats and Birds Directives to how European sites are designated and protected still apply. 32 These process have been used to inform the Adaptation Strategy and have been considered alongside the consultation responses. All of these assessments have been published online on the Climate Ready Clyde website. The implementation of interventions locally will require the development of project specific mitigation measures in consultation with both statutory and non-statutory consultees in order to minimize impacts and maximize the potential for enhancements to the local environment.
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