A new report co-developed by the Government Office for Science
highlights how social science evidence can help when developing
policy to help the UK adapt to our changing climate.
The report explores how people's needs,
behaviours, experiences and local contexts affect the
way climate risks are experienced and how measures to help
us adapt to climate changes are understood,
taken up and delivered.
Putting people at the centre of UK climate adaptation and
resilience' has been developed by the ACCESS (Advancing
Capacity for Climate and Environment Social
Science) Adaptation and Resilience Task Force, co-chaired by
the Government Office for Science.
The report highlights the value of putting people at the centre
of efforts to adapt to our climate. It argues that
responding to the effects of climate change such as
flooding, heatwaves and drought is not just
about improving infrastructure
and using technology. It is also about understanding
how people experience these issues, how they respond to them
and what support
they need to take action to
adapt to climate change.
Drawing on research, expert advice and workshops, the report sets
out practical ways for policymakers to use evidence about how
people think, behave and make decisions when developing
policies to help the UK adapt to the changing
climate. By helping policymakers better understand
people's needs, experiences and behaviours, the report aims
to support adaptation measures that are more
effective, equitable and responsive to climate risks,
helping communities, businesses and public services prepare for
the impacts of climate change.
Government Chief Scientific Adviser, Professor Dame
said:
The actions that people can take, and their effects, are
influenced by a range of social, behavioural, economic, and
cultural factors. To adapt well to our changing climate,
we need to understand what affects the choices
people can make and use that understanding when designing
policies and support.
This report makes an important contribution to that agenda. It
summarises scientific insights, concepts, methods and
approaches that can be used to help adaptation and resilience
policy be more effective, more equitable, and more grounded
in the realities of everyday life.
The ACCESS Adaptation
and Resilience Task Force comprised 13 academic and
government social scientists with extensive subject knowledge and
experience of working across the science-policy interface.
Read the Putting people at the
centre of UK climate adaptation and
resilience' report.
