14/11/2005 - Leading organisations in the East of England are coming together under the banner of the Sustainable Development Round Table for the East of England, to underline the threat posed to the region by climate change and launch a new partnership to tackle the issue.

At the annual Environment Agency Regional Forum at Shuttleworth College, Bedfordshire on 17 November 2005, climate change will be the main topic of debate. Delegates will hear from Barbara Young, Chief Executive of the Environment Agency and a number of other speakers about the challenge of reducing the causes of climate change and dealing with its consequences.

Climate change is a particularly serious threat for the East of England and future predictions of hotter, drier summers and stormier, wetter winters means the risk of more droughts, more floods and serious impacts on agriculture.

Paul Woodcock, Regional Director of the Environment Agency will use the event to announce the launch of the regional climate change partnership brought together by the Sustainable Development Round Table to tackle the issue.

The Sustainable Development Round Table (SDRT) [note 1] for the East of England welcomes the warning by HRH The Prince of Wales that we should be taking climate change more seriously, and says that climate change presents the East of England with great challenges.

The SDRT has set up a regional climate change partnership and will be appointing a regional Climate Change Coordinator.

The climate change partnership has four main areas of work:

Awareness: to increase awareness and understanding of the potential impacts of climate change on the East of England
Research: to initiate, disseminate and build on research to explore the potential impacts of climate change in the East of England and to investigate responses to these impacts
Joint working: to link the many East of England organisations working on adapting to climate change
Policy: to influence policy within regional, national and international organisations
The new Climate Change Coordinator, starting early next year, will coordinate efforts to tackle climate change in the region. In particular, areas of work may include the impact of climate change on health, agriculture, construction and transport. The post will be jointly sponsored by the Environment Agency, the Government Office for the East of England, the East of England Regional Assembly and the East of England Development Agency.

The East of England is the driest region, yet has extensive flood plain area, a long and fragile coastline, and important yet vulnerable habitats, says the SDRT. It is also a fast growing region, which already is responsible for more than its share of carbon emissions.

Much is being done in the region to adapt to climate change and tackle its causes, but more needs to be done, says the SDRT. The group’s "Living with Climate Change" study led to training packs for use in schools and reports aimed at businesses and local authorities. The new climate change partnership and regional Climate Change Coordinator aims to build on this existing work.

"The region's Sustainable Development Round Table is there to consider issues across different interests. Climate change is a global topic that undoubtedly is going to affect this region in many different ways. This is probably our toughest assignment yet. The establishment of a regional climate change partnership represents a significant step in taking forward the response to climate issues. Climate change is already posing serious challenges for the East of England. Our ability to deal with these challenges will be significantly enhanced through the development of this partnership and the capability it will give us to bring the various organisations involved together."

Alan Cherry, CBE, DL, Chair, East of England Sustainable Development Round Table

"Climate change is a key issue for the region. The urgent need to tackle its causes and adapt to its impacts underpins our approach to policy and the Integrated Regional Strategy. The Assembly is committed to partnership working and welcomes this important strengthening of the region’s collective response."

Brian Stewart, Chief Executive, East of England Regional Assembly.

"Here at the Environment Agency, climate change is our highest priority. We are building the country's resilience to some of the biggest impacts: water shortages, flooding and environmental deterioration. And, in our regulation of industry, we are playing our part in addressing the causes."

Barbara Young, Chief Executive, Environment Agency.

"Climate change and energy together are one of the top four priorities areas for immediate action in the UK Government’s Sustainable Development Strategy. The East of England is vulnerable to climate change, adaptation and mitigation present us with social, economic and environmental options too."

Jo Hefford, Government Office for the East of England.

"There is little doubt our climate is changing as a result of human activity and these changes will have a significant impact in the East of England. We need to start planning today to ensure our region is in the best position to prepare and adapt to these changes while also reducing our levels of greenhouse gas emissions. Likewise, we need to look at the opportunities climate change affords, whether it be the development of new markets for new technologies or changes to our agricultural base. Whatever we choose to do, we will only succeed by working in partnership."

Richard Ellis, Chair of the East of England Development Agency