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Government and consulting experts on flood mitigation generally face difficulties when trying to explain the science of extreme flooding to the general public, in particular the concept of a return period. Too often, for example, people perceive they are safe for the next 100 years after a 1:100 -year return-period flood has hit their town. UK flood practitioners therefore gave us the challenge to design an outreach tool that conceptualises the science of flooding in a way that is accessible to and directly engages the public, and in particular demonstrates what a return period is. Furthermore, we were tasked with designing a live 3-D physical model rather than a graphical or animated 2-D game on a screen. We show here how we tackled that challenge by designing, constructing, and showcasing the Wetropolis Flood Demonstrator. Wetropolis is a transportable and conceptual physical model with random rainfall, river flow, a flood plain, an upland reservoir, a porous moor, representing the upper catchment and visualising groundwater flow, and a city which can flood following extreme and random rainfall. A key novelty is the supply of rainfall every Wetropolis day. Several aspects of Wetropolis are considered. We present the modular mathematical and numerical design on which Wetropolis is based. It guided the choice of parameter values of Wetropolis, which was loosely inspired by the Leeds Boxing Day floods of the River Aire in 2015. The design model further serves as the building block and inspiration for adaptations suited to particular local demands. Moreover, the model is purposely lean and therefore quick to compute, serving flexibility in the outreach-tool design, but is less suitable for any detailed scientific validation. The constructed Wetropolis is described here in broad terms, but we include a link to a GitHub site with details to inspire other bespoke designs. The goal, again, is to facilitate new adaptations of Wetropolis for particular catchments different to the Leeds River Aire case. Our experience in showcasing Wetropolis is summarised and discussed, with the purpose of giving an overview as well as inspiring improved and bespoke adaptations. While Wetropolis should be experienced live, with videos found on the GitHub site, here we provide a photographic overview. To date, Wetropolis has been showcased to 500 to 1000 people at public workshops and exhibitions on recent UK floods, as well as to flood practitioners and scientists at various research and stakeholder workshops. We conclude with some ongoing design changes, including how people can experience natural flood management in a revised Wetropolis design. Finally, we also discuss how Wetropolis, although originally focussed solely on outreach, led to a new cost-effectiveness analysis and protocol for assessing flood-mitigation plans and inspired other physical models for use in education and water management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: We compare the performance of habitat suitability models using climate data only or climate data together with water chemistry, land cover and predation pressure data to model the distribution of European grayling (Thymallus thymallus). From these models, we (a) investigate the relationship between habitat suitability and genetic diversity; (b) project the distribution of grayling under future climate change; and (c) model the effects of habitat mitigation on future distributions. Location: United Kingdom. Methods: Maxent species distribution modelling was implemented using a Simple model (only climate parameters) or a Full model (climate, water chemistry, land use and predation pressure parameters). Areas of high and low habitat suitability were designated. Associations between habitat suitability and genetic diversity for both neutral and adaptive markers were examined. Distribution under minimal and maximal future climate change scenarios was modelled for 2050, incorporating projections of future flow scenarios obtained from the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. To examine potential mitigation effects within habitats, models were run with manipulation of orthophosphate, nitrite and copper concentrations. Results: We mapped suitable habitat for grayling in the present and the future. The Full model achieved substantially higher discriminative power than the Simple model. For low suitability habitat, higher levels of inbreeding were observed for adaptive, but not neutral, loci. Future projections predict a significant contraction of highly suitable areas. Under habitat mitigation, modelling suggests that recovery of suitable habitat of up to 10% is possible. Main conclusions: Extending the climate‐only model improves estimates of habitat suitability. Significantly higher inbreeding coefficients were found at immune genes, but not neutral markers in low suitability habitat, indicating a possible impact of environmental stress on evolutionary potential. The potential for habitat mitigation to alleviate distributional changes under future climate change is demonstrated, and specific recommendations are made for habitat recovery on a regional basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Timeline of real driving passenger car emissions (1998 to 2022) in the UK constructed from remote sensing data. • Impact of the promotion and demise of diesel fuel on passenger car NO x emissions evaluated. • Promotion of diesel fuel in the UK led to 721 kt excess NO x emissions. • Rapid move away from diesel fuel had minor influence on UK emissions. The promotion and growth in the use of diesel fuel in passenger cars in the UK and Europe over the past two decades led to considerable adverse air quality impacts in urban areas and more widely. In this work, we construct a multi-decade analysis of passenger car emissions in the UK based on real driving emissions data. An important part of the study is the use of extensive vehicle emission remote sensing data covering multiple measurement locations, time periods, environmental conditions and consisting of over 600,000 measurements. These data are used to consider two scenarios: first, that diesel fuel use was not promoted in the early 2000s for climate mitigation reasons, and second, that there was not a dramatic decline in diesel fuel use following the Dieselgate scandal. The strong growth of diesel fuel use coincided with a time when diesel NO x emissions were high and, conversely, the strong decrease of diesel fuel use coincided with a time when diesel vehicle after-treatment systems for NO x control were effective. We estimate that the growth in diesel car use in the UK results in excess NO x emissions of 721 kt over a three decade period; equivalent to over 7 times total annual passenger car NO x emissions and greater than total UK NO x emissions of 681.8 kt in 2021 and with an associated damage cost of £5.875 billion. However, the sharp move away from diesel fuel post-Dieselgate only reduced NO x emissions by 41 kt owing to the effectiveness of modern diesel aftertreatment systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the UK introduced a Climate Change Act (CCA) in 2008, similar legislation has followed in a number of states, with each having a slightly different take. What unites these examples is that they all represent framework legislation that aims to facilitate climate change mitigation by creating continuous policy processes whereby mechanisms for the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are developed and implemented. This article is concerned with the extent to which they are living policy processes or rather symbolic gestures. We analyse seven European CCAs with regard to GHG emission reduction targets, planning/implementation mechanisms, and feedback/evaluations prescribed by the laws. These three features correspond with three aspects of climate policy integration (CPI): interpretations of CPI as a norm; CPI as a process of governing; CPI as a policy outcome. We show that CCAs address all three aspects of CPI and constitute living policy processes, although to varying extents. However, CCAs are also policy processes in that they are part of a political system, affected by political forces external to the legislation, positively and negatively. Key policy insights CCAs can provide a normative basis for policymaking on climate change at the national level, especially through quantitative emission reduction targets. Whilst CCAs can bring some stability and predictability to policymaking on climate change (mainly because legislation is more difficult to amend or remove than policy strategies), they are still vulnerable to political developments. Most CCAs lack either short/medium-term (Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Sweden) or long-term (Austria) targets. Given EU Member States' aim to decarbonise in the next three decades and the Paris Agreement's global goal of pursuing efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C, states need to find ways to guide this process. One approach could be the inclusion of short-term, medium-term and long-term targets in their CCAs. Since sanctioning mechanisms are lacking across all the CCAs analysed here, it is not clear what will happen if legally binding targets are not met. Just as it is difficult to imagine speed limits and speed cameras without accompanying penalties, it is hard to imagine how CCAs without sanctions can deliver decarbonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Projections of UK greenhouse gas emissions estimate a shortfall in existing and planned climate policies meeting UK climate targets: the UK's mitigation gap. Material and product demand is driving industrial greenhouse gas emissions at a rate greater than carbon intensity improvements in the economy. Evidence shows that products can be produced with fewer carbon intensive inputs and demand for new products can be reduced. The economy‐wide contribution of material productivity and lifestyle changes to bridging the UK's mitigation gap is understudied. We integrate an input‐output framework with econometric analysis and case study evidence to analyse the potential of material productivity to help the UK bridge its anticipated emissions deficits, and the additional effort required to achieve transformative change aligned with 2 and 1.5°C temperature targets. We estimate that the emissions savings from material productivity measures are comparable to those from the Government's planned climate policy package. These additional measures could reduce the UK's anticipated emissions deficit up to 73%. The results demonstrate that material productivity deserves greater consideration in climate policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobilizing climate finance for climate change mitigation is a crucial part of meeting the 'well-below' 2°C goal of the Paris Agreement. Climate finance refers to investments specifically in climate change mitigation and adaptation activities, which involve public finance and the leveraging of private finance. A large proportion of climate finance is Official Development Assistance (ODA) from OECD countries to ODA-eligible countries. The evidence shows that the largest proportion of climate finance for climate change mitigation has been channelled to the development of renewable energy, with a much smaller proportion flowing to other crucial forms of clean energy-related measures, such as demand-side management (DSM) (particularly sustainable cooling) and carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS). This forms the rationale and aim of this synthesis paper: to review the role of climate finance to develop clean energy beyond renewables. In doing so, the paper draws on practical policy and programme experiences of some donor countries, such as the UK, and Development Finance Institutions (DFIs). This paper argues that a greater amount of climate finance from OECD countries to ODA-eligible fossil fuel-intensive emerging economies and developing countries is required for sustainable cooling and CCUS, particularly in the form of technical assistance and clean energy innovation. Key policy insights Demand-side management (DSM) and carbon capture, usage and storage (CCUS) are underfunded in climate finance compared with the promotion of renewables. Climate finance for sustainable cooling, in particular, represents just 0.04% of total ODA, despite cooling projected to represent 13% of global emissions by 2030. Public investment in CCUS is limited at US $28 billion since 2007, despite the costs of meeting the Paris Agreement estimated to be 40-128% more expensive without CCUS. Additional climate finance for these sectors should not come at the expense of funding for renewables but should be complementary to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change is projected to increase the frequency, intensity and unpredictability of extreme weather events across the globe and these events are likely to have significant mental health implications. The mental health literature broadly characterises negative emotional reactions to extreme weather experiences as undesirable impacts on wellbeing. Yet, other research in psychology suggests that negative emotional responses to extreme weather are an important motivation for personal action on climate change. This article addresses the intersection of mental health and functional perspectives on negative emotions, with a specific focus on the potential that reduced negative emotional responses to extreme weather may also translate to diminished motivation to undertake climate change mitigation actions – which we term the 'resilience paradox'. Using survey data gathered in the aftermath of severe flooding across the UK in winter 2013/2014, we present new evidence indicating that self-appraised coping ability moderates the link between flooding experience and negative emotions and thereby attenuates the indirect link between flooding experience and climate change mitigation intentions. We conclude that support for flood victims should extend beyond addressing emotional, physical and financial stresses to include acknowledgement of the involvement of climate change and communication of the need for action to combat future climate risks. Key policy insights Psychological resilience to flooding and other extreme weather events can translate to diminished motivation to mitigate climate change Negative emotional reactions need to occur at an optimal level to enable people to respond appropriately to climate risks. Flood victims' subjective appraisal of their ability to cope does not necessarily encompass consideration of the role played by climate change. Therefore, support for victims of extreme weather should include explicit acknowledgement of the involvement of climate change and the need for action to mitigate future climate risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Community-owned energy projects are viewed as compelling contributors towards renewable energy targets. They contribute to curtailing the use of carbon intensive energy sources, consequently aiding mitigation of climate change, and can contribute towards a sustainable, localised economy. The success and expansion of the sector varies. However, there is a lack of knowledge regarding the development of the sector between sub-state nations. This qualitative, comparative study looks at the sector in the sub-state, devolved nations of Wales and Scotland within the UK. Through a series of in-depth interviews with community energy practitioners in four case study sites in Scotland and Wales, this study shows how policy and governance practices can influence the sector and those working at grassroots level. The study shows a disparity in confidence and outlook for the sector, based on the perceived (in)effective governance in each devolved nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irrespective of the success of climate mitigation efforts, societies worldwide face the challenge of adapting to a changing climate. In this paper, we examine UK residents' expectations of future threats and opportunities associated with climate change impacts, along with willingness to prioritise different climate change impacts for investment. Using a national survey (n = 2007), we report on three main findings. First, UK residents tend to expect threats related to flooding and wet weather to be more likely and concerning than heat extremes or opportunities. Second, UK residents' expectations of climate change impacts do not align with expert assessments, especially showing lower estimates of heat-related threats as compared to experts. Third, willingness to allocate resources to potential climate change impacts tends to be more strongly associated with anticipated concern should they occur than climate change belief or the expected likelihood of them occurring. We discuss the implications of our findings for policies and communications about climate change adaptation in the UK and elsewhere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The saltmarsh carbon storage potential is a key topic in blue carbon research and climate policy. Ecosystem service valuations provide valuable information to policymakers for habitat management and climate change mitigation policies. Yet, only few saltmarsh valuation studies have included the carbon storage service in the UK context. This paper investigates how the public values saltmarsh ecosystem services, focussing on the carbon storage service. We used a choice experiment to elicit the willingness to pay (WTP) of a representative sample of the Scottish public to support interventions that would maintain or improve the provision of these services. Furthermore, we tested the effect of information on individuals' preferences and WTP with a split sample approach where one group received a treatment in the form of additional information. We found that (i) all attributes had a significant influence on individuals' choices; (ii) both groups had, on average, a positive marginal WTP for all presented ecosystem services; (iii) the treated sample had, on average, no significantly different marginal WTP for carbon storage than the control group. This paper adds to the limited literature on the saltmarsh carbon storage ecosystem service and demonstrates a developed nation's public's openness to nature-based climate change mitigation solutions. [Display omitted] • The Scottish public on average prefers saltmarsh management over the status quo. • Providing additional information reduced heterogeneity in WTP for carbon storage. • Most respondents preferred an improvement of all saltmarsh ecosystem services. • Therefore management should focus on both climate change mitigation and adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food systems contribute 23–42% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Reducing food system emissions is an essential component of climate change mitigation, and a system-wide approach, including production, processing, trade and demand-side transformations, will be needed. Long-term analysis of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of food supply is crucial for informing this transformation, and understanding the processes contributing to existing trends can reveal opportunities for future mitigation strategies. To address these needs we used data on food supply, trade and emission intensity to quantify changes in GHG emissions between 1986 and 2017 resulting from food supply in the United Kingdom (UK). Uniquely, the relative contributions of supply-side and demand-side changes to historical trends in food emissions were assessed, and the gap between current UK food consumption and EAT-Lancet recommended diets was used to estimate the additional GHG emission reductions that could be achieved by shifting to the Planetary Health Diet (PHD). It was estimated that in the UK, per-capita GHG emissions from food fell by 32% (from 4.6 tCO 2 eq/capita to 3.1 tCO 2 eq/capita) between 1986 and 2017. Of this 32% reduction, 21% was due to supply-side changes (a fall in emission intensity per unit of production due to increased efficiency of farming practices), 10% was due to demand-side changes (including dietary change and waste reduction), and 2% was due to changing trade patterns. Relative to the PHD, however, the average UK citizen still greatly over-consumes beef, lamb and pork, tubers and starchy vegetables and dairy products, and under-consumes vegetables, nuts, and legumes. It was estimated that by adopting the PHD, UK per capita food emissions could be reduced by a further 42% to 1.8 tCO 2 eq/capita. These results expose the historic contributions of both supply- and demand-side changes to reductions in GHG emissions from food, and highlight the underutilised potential of dietary change in contributing to mitigation of GHG emissions from food. [Display omitted] • UK per-capita food emissions fell by 32% between 1986 and 2017. • Supply and demand-side changes contributed to this reduction. • Adopting the Planetary Health Diet could reduce emissions of UK food supply by 42%. • This reveals the underutilised potential of dietary change as a mitigation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK has been one of the few countries that has successfully decoupled final energy consumption from economic growth over the past 15 years. This study investigates the drivers of final energy consumption in the UK productive sectors between 1997 and 2013 using a decomposition analysis that incorporates two novel features. Firstly, it investigates to what extent changes in thermodynamic efficiency have contributed to overall changes in sectoral energy intensities. Secondly, it analyses how much of the structural change in the UK economy is driven by the offshoring of energy-intensive production overseas. The results show that energy intensity reductions are the strongest factor reducing energy consumption. However, only a third of the energy savings from energy intensity reductions can be attributed to reductions in thermodynamic efficiency with reductions in the exergy intensity of production making up the reminder. In addition the majority of energy savings from structural change are a result of offshoring, which constitutes the second biggest factor reducing energy consumption. In recent years the contributions of all decomposition factors have been declining with very little change in energy consumption after 2009. This suggests that a return to the strong reductions in energy consumption observed between 2001 and 2009 in the UK productive sectors should not be taken for granted. Given that further reductions in UK final energy consumption are needed to achieve global targets for climate change mitigation, additional policy interventions are needed. Such policies should adopt a holistic approach, taking into account all sectors in the UK economy as well as the relationship between the structural change in the UK and in the global supply chains delivering the goods and service for consumption and investment in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of a changing climate, a growing number of construction firms are adopting carbon reduction targets on individual projects and across their portfolios. In the wake of the Paris Agreement, some firms are seeking a means of aligning their targets with sectoral, national and international mitigation commitments. There are numerous ways by which such an alignment can be achieved, each requiring different assumptions. Using data from the UK construction industry, this paper reviews current company commitments and progress in carbon mitigation; analyses the unique challenges in aligning construction targets, and presents a series of possible sectoral decarbonisation trajectories. The results highlight the disparity between current company targets and the range of possible trajectories. It is clear that a cross-industry dialogue is urgently required to establish an appropriate response that delivers both a widely-accepted target trajectory and a plan for its delivery. This paper is intended to stimulate and support this necessary debate by illustrating the impact of different methodological assumptions and highlighting the critical features of an appropriate response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Providing children with a clear understanding of climate change drivers and their mitigation is crucial for their roles as future earth stewards. To achieve this, it will be necessary to reverse the declining interest in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in schools in the UK and other countries, as STEM skills will be critical when designing effective mitigation solutions for climate change. The 'Heat-Cool Initiative' was co-designed and successfully implemented in five primary/secondary UK schools, as a playful learning tool to unleash student interest in STEM subjects. 103 students from two cohorts (years 5–6 and 7–9) participated in five Heat-Cool activity sessions where they used infrared cameras to explore the issue of urban heat. Their learning was evaluated using a multi-functional quantitative assessment, including pre- and post-session quizzes. Climate change literacy increased by 9.4% in primary school children and by 4.5% in secondary school children. Analyses of >2000 infrared images taken by students, categorised into 13 common themes, revealed age-related differences in children's cognitive development. At primary school age, images of the 'self' dominated; secondary school children engaged more with their physical environment. This novel approach demonstrated the importance of developing tailored technology-enhanced STEM education programmes for different age cohorts, leading to a high capacity for improving learning outcomes regarding climate change. Such programmes, embedded in school curricula nationally and internationally, could become a much-needed positive contribution to reaching the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goals 4 (Quality Education) and 13 (Climate Action). [Display omitted] • Heat-Cool (how building heats and trees cool cities) was designed and implemented. • Awareness in ∼22% school children improved with ≥80% marks in post-sessions quiz. • 79% primary and 62% secondary school students' knowledge increased on climate change. • Positive motivation and engagement were observed in ≥89% of the student subgroups. • Students took 2195 images to indicate their excitement with the activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grasslands account for ∼30% of global terrestrial carbon (C), of which most is stored in soils and provide important ecosystem services including livestock and forage production. Reseeding of temporary grasslands on a 5-year cycle is a common management practice to rejuvenate sward productivity and reduce soil compaction, but is physically disruptive and may reduce soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks. However, research to date is limited, which impacts on the ability to optimise grassland management for climate change mitigation. To determine whether extending the time interval up to 20 years between grassland reseeding can increase stable SOC stocks, a soil survey was conducted across three UK grassland chrono-sequences comprising 24 fields on contrasting soil types. We found that grassland SOC stocks (39.8–114.8 Mg C ha−1) were higher than co-located fields in arable rotations (29.3–83.2 Mg C ha−1) and the relationship with grassland age followed a curvilinear relationship with rapid SOC stock accumulation in the year following reseeding (2.69–18.3 Mg C ha−1 yr−1) followed by progressively slower SOC accumulation up to 20 years. Contrary to expectation, all grasslands had similar soil bulk densities and sward composition questioning the need for traditional 5-year reseeding cycles. Fractionation of soils into stable mineral associated fractions revealed that coarse textured grassland topsoils (0–15 cm) were near-saturated in C irrespective of grassland age whilst loam soils reached saturation ∼10 years after reseeding. Fine-textured topsoils and subsoils (15–30 cm) of all textures were under saturated and thus appear to hold the most potential to accrue additional stable C. However, the lack of a relationship between C saturation deficit and grassland age in subsoils suggests that more innovative management to promote SOC redistribution to depth, such as a switch to diverse leys or full inversion tillage may be required to maximise subsoil SOC stocks. Taken together our findings suggest that extending the time between grassland reseeding could temporarily increase SOC stocks without compromising sward composition or soil structure. However, detailed monitoring of the trade-offs with grassland productivity are required. Fine textured soils and subsoils (15–30 cm) have the greatest potential to accrue additional stable C due to under saturation of fine mineral pools. • Reseeding of grasslands is disruptive and may reduce soil organic carbon stocks. • A soil C survey of grassland chronosequences was conducted across three UK farms. • Soil C stocks were related to age with rapid initial increases after reseeding. • Fine textured soils and subsoils were under saturated and could accrue additional C. • Use of diverse leys and full inversion tillage may increase subsoil soil C stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an increasingly urgent need to remove CO 2 from the atmosphere. Increasing C storage in soils has been discussed as a possible method of achieving this. Regardless of whether increasing soil C would result in reduced atmospheric C or not, increasing the amount of organic carbon (OC) stored as organic matter in soils is widely regarded as leading to agronomic benefits such as increased water retention and resistance to erosion. Fe oxides adsorb OC in soil, protecting it from degradation. In this study we investigated the use of waste ochre (Fe oxy-hydroxide) that precipitates from the drainage of former coal mines as a soil amendment to increase C storage in soils via reduced C lability. In preliminary batch experiments, ochres reduced the release of OC from soils into solution. In plant growth experiments with wheat (var. Skyfall, RAGT) 5 wt% amendments of ochre to soils significantly reduced the concentration of hot water extractable OC by approximately 16% and OC lost from the soils in leachate by approximately 43%. Above ground plant biomass was significantly reduced by approximately 50% in the amended soils. There was no evidence for increased uptake of potentially toxic elements in the plants from the ochre-amended soils compared to the study controls but Olsen P extractable phosphate was decreased by the ochre amendments. In subsequent experiments with agronomically realistic additions of KH 2 PO 4 there was no difference in plant biomass between the study controls and the ochre-treated soils suggesting that reduced plant growth was due to reduced P availability; C lability was still significantly reduced. Furthermore, the ochre amendments helped retain th added phosphate in the soil. These results indicate that Fe oxide amendments to soil may be a viable way of changing soil chemistry in order to increase the amount of OC retained in soils. Further experiments investigating the impacts of the ochre amendments on greenhouse gas emissions and soil biology are required followed by field trials where the impact of more variable soil moisture and temperature effects can be assessed and crops grown to harvest. A full Life Cycle Analysis could then be performed. Given the relatively limited quantities of former coal mine ochres available in the UK and the carbon footprint of transporting materials prior to adding them to soils, similar experiments to those reported here, taking into account chemical and mineralogical variations, are warranted to determine the global stock pile of Fe-rich wastes that could potentially be used to reduce C lability in soils. [Display omitted] • Ochre (Fe oxy-hydroxide) amendments to soil reduced C lability. • However, ochre amendments also reduced plant growth. • Agriculturally realistic additions of P countered the plant growth reduction. • Ochre amendments show promise as a strategy for increasing C persistence in soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reality of anthropogenic climate change is increasingly apparent, with significant implications for railway and other infrastructure networks. As a transport mode with a relatively small environmental impact, rail has a potentially valuable role to play in climate change mitigation. However, this potential can be realised only if railways are adapted to withstand the effects of the increasingly extreme weather associated with climate change. This requirement is widely acknowledged by governments and the railway industry, and the required responses to the specific potential effects of climate change are well known and understood. However, a review of the literature indicates a need for a decision support system to prioritise the interventions required for the adaptation in the face of uncertainty about both the frequency and scale of future extreme weather events and the nature and the levels of future passenger and freight traffic on the railways. This paper proposes a seven-step framework for the classification of the UK railway network, the assessment of the economic value of traffic using the network (and thus the economic costs of weather-related disruption), the identification of appropriate remedial measures and their costs and thus the prioritisation of these measures by means of cost-benefit analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biofuels have transitioned from a technology expected to deliver numerous benefits to a highly contested socio-technical solution. Initial hopes about their potential to mitigate climate change and to deliver energy security benefits and rural development, particularly in the Global South, have unravelled in the face of numerous controversies. In recognition of the negative externalities associated with biofuels, the European Union developed sustainability criteria which are enforced by certification schemes. This paper draws on the literature on stewardship to analyse the outcomes of these schemes in two countries: the UK and Guatemala. It explores two key issues: first, how has European Union biofuels policy shaped biofuel industries in the UK and Guatemala? And second, what are the implications for sustainable land stewardship? By drawing attention to the outcomes of European demand for biofuels, we raise questions about the ability of European policy to drive sustainable land practices in these two cases. The paper concludes that, rather than promoting stewardship, the current governance framework effectively rubberstamps existing agricultural systems and serves to further embed existing inequalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The winter of 2013/2014 saw a series of severe storms hit the UK, leading to widespread flooding, a major emergency response and extensive media exposure. Previous research indicates that experiencing extreme weather events has the potential to heighten engagement with climate change, however the process by which this occurs remains largely unknown, and establishing a clear causal relationship from experience to perceptions is methodologically challenging. The UK winter flooding offered a natural experiment to examine this question in detail. We compare individuals personally affected by flooding ( n = 162) to a nationally representative sample ( n = 975). We show that direct experience of flooding leads to an overall increased salience of climate change, pronounced emotional responses and greater perceived personal vulnerability and risk perceptions. We also present the first evidence that direct flooding experience can give rise to behavioural intentions beyond individual sustainability actions, including support for mitigation policies, and personal climate adaptation in matters unrelated to the direct experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste-related methane (CH 4) emissions could account for 31% of total UK CH 4 emissions. Waste management strategies in the UK have recently changed as more waste is diverted from landfills to anaerobic digesters (AD) and composting facilities, which can be significant sources of CH 4. In this study, we combined mobile CH 4 emissions data from waste treatment facilities to perform a life cycle assessment of current biowaste treatment and potential future mitigation, including AD, in-vessel composting, incineration, and landfilling scenarios. We found that diverting biowaste from landfill to AD is an effective strategy, but it is not enough to eliminate emissions. The fugitive CH 4 emissions from anaerobic digesters have a significant impact on the environmental sustainability of waste management strategies, with upgrading the biogas into biomethane being the best option for climate change mitigation, in the case where natural gas is replaced. A change in the biowaste strategy can also reduce CH 4 emissions from the waste sub-sector analysed, from 58.2 to 30.3 kilotonnes per year, an emissions saving of approximately 52%. However, with these technologies, net-zero emissions is challenging unless the absolute minimum emissions from the treatment technologies is consistently achieved. Therefore, we strongly recommend a focus on mitigating CH 4 emissions from AD to achieve the goal of net-zero waste management. [Display omitted] • The UK's biowaste strategies are evaluated using seven different scenarios. • Anaerobic digestion, in-vessel composting, incineration and landfill considered. • The range of methane emissions affect technology's environmental sustainability. • Biomethane generation from anaerobic digestion provides the greatest GWP saving. • Meeting the Net Zero goal in the waste sector is challenging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As scientific evidence of the severity of climate change increases, there are indications that this represents a significant psychological burden in the form of climate anxiety on the public. So far very little research has explored the prevalence, predictors, or effects of climate anxiety amongst the public. This study aims to address this gap by exploring climate anxiety in the UK. It addresses the following questions: (a) How prevalent is climate anxiety amongst adults in the UK? (b) What are the predictors of climate anxiety? and (c) Does climate anxiety predict climate action? We report on findings from an online survey of the UK public (N = 1338) undertaken in late 2020 (partially replicated in May 2022 with a sub-sample of 891 respondents) which found that while there are high levels of concern about climate change, there are low levels of climate anxiety (measured using the Climate Change Anxiety Scale). Climate anxiety was higher amongst younger age groups, those with higher climate concern, higher generalised anxiety, lower mindfulness, higher nature relatedness, and more climate change information seeking behaviour. In addition, climate anxiety predicted some (but not all) types of pro-environmental action. Consistent with other recent research, these findings indicate that climate anxiety may not necessarily be a negative impact of, or maladaptive response to, climate change; but rather, at least to some degree, be a motivating force for effective action. • First detailed study of climate anxiety amongst UK adult population. • Climate change worry is widespread, but climate anxiety levels far lower. • Climate anxiety correlates with higher generalised anxiety and lower mindfulness. • Strongest predictor of climate anxiety is climate information seeking behaviour. • Climate anxiety positively predicts some but not all pro-environmental actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses tax breaks for oil and gas industries in Britain's 2016 Budget, the government's commitment to zero emissions to improve air quality, measures taken to improve energy efficiency, and the implementation of commitments made at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change.

A successful carbon capture and storage (CCS) policy and programme is widely considered essential to curbing carbon dioxide emissions. What explains the strikingly different policy outcomes in two key European Union political heavyweights and coal economies, the UK and Germany? The UK has decided to contract two specific CCS projects, with explicit timelines for realisation; Germany has made no such decisions. From scrutiny of official documents and in-depth high-level interviews, it was found that the UK has more favourable structural capacity, including offshore storage capacity (which evokes less conflict) and significant oil-industry expertise, and thus an easier task. Moreover, this structural capacity has interacted with a solid political commitment to bring CCS forward in the UK, including specific, multistage funding and a high-level drive to develop CCS, especially after 2009. In Germany, by contrast, CCS has encountered increasing local and central opposition since 2009, with the Energiewende and renewables being accorded priority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the creation of an Energy and Natural Resources Court in the Court of Session, Scotland as announced by Lord President Gill, retired Scottish judge. It mentions that Great Britain system of commercial law and the courst of Great Britain will become will be the choice for international commercial litigation. It also mentions that energy industry regulations with the legal instruments concerned with mitigating climate change and other effects of energy sources.

Mitigating climate change is driving the need to decarbonize the electricity sector, for which various possible technological options exist, alongside uncertainty over which options are preferable in terms of cost, emissions reductions, and energy security. To reduce this uncertainty, we here quantify two questions for the power system of Great Britain (England, Wales and Scotland): First, when compared within the same high-resolution modeling framework, how much do different combinations of technologies differ in these three respects? Second, how strongly does the cost and availability of grid-scale storage affect overall system cost, and would it favor some technology combinations above others? We compare three main possible generation technologies: (1) renewables, (2) nuclear, and (3) fossil fuels (with/without carbon capture and storage). Our results show that across a wide range of these combinations, the overall costs remain similar, implying that different configurations are equally feasible both technically and economically. However, the most economically favorable scenarios are not necessarily favorable in terms of emissions or energy security. The availability of grid-scale storage in scenarios with little dispatchable generation can reduce overall levelized electricity cost by up to 50%, depending on storage capacity costs. The UK can rely on its domestic wind and solar PV generation at lower renewable shares, with levelized costs only rising more than 10% above the mean of 0.084 GBP/kWh for shares of 50% and below at a 70% share, which is 35% higher. However, for more than an 80% renewable generation share to be economically feasible, large-scale storage, significantly more power imports, or domestic dispatchable renewables like tidal range must be available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research on climate change mitigation has emphasized decision-making within tourism businesses is vital for sustainable futures. However, there has been little consideration of how the age of buildings and (historic) property frames, modifies or constrains the sector's response to climate change. Through surveys of accommodation providers in South-West England, this paper explores relationships between property age, energy performance and pro-environmental innovations requiring adjustment to the fabric of buildings. Findings are presented from empirical research with small- and medium-sized tourism enterprises occupying properties often well over a century old. This paper's large-scale data-set and series of intensive case histories demonstrate that property age does not play a straightforward role in encouraging or hindering efforts among accommodation providers to tackle climate change. Some (but not all) businesses with the oldest buildings performed and responded strongest, successfully introducing the latest renewable energy technologies, although adapting older buildings was not without complications and cost implications. Conceptually, this research points to the limits of calls for greater pro-environmental behaviour change without clearer understanding of the contexts and settings in which such behaviour takes place. Its findings are important to heritage-based destinations worldwide: accommodation in heritage buildings can be a unique selling point. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although in recent years great emphasis has been placed on global agreements and national commitments on climate change, ultimately action on mitigation and adaptation must take place at the local level. Many local authorities have to face questions of whether they should develop policies on climate change, and if so, on what evidence should policies be designed and delivered. This paper describes how academic research on the economics of low carbon cities (the 'mini-Stern review') helped create such an evidence base for the Leeds City Region and its constituent local authorities. We describe how the response to the evidence and the pathways to impact were different in the individual local authorities and what this means for our understanding of evidence in local policy making. In terms of Weiss' (Social sciences and modern states: national experiences and theoretical crossroads. Advances in political science, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, ) classification, the study was mainly useful as an argument and idea rather than being used instrumentally. We find that the policy and political context in each authority determines to a large extent whether such an academic study is useable as evidence. The contents and timing of the study need to align with existing policy and/or political agendas: is climate change on the agenda at all, with what priority and how is it framed. We find confirmation of a relationship between the policy problem type and the role of evidence as argument, idea or data. The mini-Stern study itself was just one contribution to wide-ranging processes of informing, convincing, pressurising, etc., not just within the different councils but also within the wider communities. Other contextual factors include composition, agenda and activities of local civil society and the local business community. Finally, it depends on the expertise of policy officers in the councils what use is made of evidence. Making policy takes (much) time, translation and negotiation across levels and sectors. Policy work describes how policy officers bring their diverse forms of knowledge to bear on policy questions; how this work is done is something that is learned from practice rather than from the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether innovations in policy concerning climate-change mitigation are symbolic or truly radical in the sense of ‘tipping’ existing policy portfolios towards a new instrumental logic, we study policy innovations in the context of pre-existing policy portfolios and analyse the associated dynamics over time. Our analysis is facilitated by a new measurement of policy output, the Index of Climate Policy Activity. This new approach sheds light on the relative importance of policy innovations in complex policy portfolios, and serves as a blueprint for further analyses of the politics of policy innovation. Empirically, we analyse policy innovations within the policy portfolios of energy production in Austria, Germany, and the UK between 1998 and 2010. We find high stability in the instrumental logic but substantial change in policy settings and calibrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author discusses the changing global weather patterns as well as the reasons of climatic changes. Topics discussed include the importance of laws for regulating climatic changes, importance of promoting climatic changes mitigation, and the environmental policy of Great Britain Environmental Agency.

Although sharing some common origins with environmental justice, in recent years, climate justice has emerged as a separate domain, one that entails both greater uncertainties and greater temporal and spatial distance between its causes in human activities and climatic shifts or extreme events. This article situates climate justice in relation to environmental justice and wider justice debates. It reflects on the multi-scalarity of climate justice and its bi-dimensional character (the justice of adaptation and mitigation). It then explores three different variants of distributive justice – welfare, equity and equality distribution – through examples from both international climate negotiations and UK and China national energy efficiency retrofit policy. The article aims to illustrate the kinds of differences and problems that originate with three very different ways of interpreting the meaning of a just distribution of the benefits and burdens related to tackling human-origin climate change, and to show how these are in many cases being pitched against considerations of social justice. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper considers the effects of the Camp for Climate Action, or “Climate Camp,” on climate change mitigation and public discourse in the UK on climate change, drawing on participants' views and media coverage in addition to academic sources. Climate Camp was an activist movement best known for summer protest camps in the UK in 2006–2010, which targeted high-profile sources of greenhouse gas emissions, including Heathrow airport and Drax power station; engaged in radical, anti-capitalist critique of climate change; and demonstrated sustainable living. The ongoing effects of Climate Camp on climate change mitigation are analyzed, including specific campaigns, public discourse and mobilization of activists. The paper finds that while specific campaigns were successful and Climate Camp has contributed to a renewal of environmental activism and mobilization of “bystanders,” the movement has (so far) failed to shift public discourse on climate change, let alone effect the deep systemic change it deemed necessary to mitigate climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

One hundred percent renewable energy systems have the potential to mitigate climate change, but large fluctuations in energy supply and demand make ensuring reliability a key challenge. A hypothetical future energy system developed for the UK features reduced total energy demand, increased electrification and 100% renewable and carbon-neutral energy sources. Hourly modelling of this system over a 10-year period shows that even in an integrated energy system there will be significant electricity surpluses and shortfalls. Flexible demand and conventional electricity and heat stores reduced the extremes but could not provide the capacity required. Carbon-neutral synthetic gaseous fuel could provide a flexible and quickly dispatchable back up system, with large storage and generation capacities comparable with those in the UK today. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Presents time series of embodied emissions in UK construction from 1997 to 2011. [•] Contends that mitigation requires greater focus on material efficiency. [•] Identifies barriers to uptake of alternative materials, technologies and practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst there are many arguments and counterarguments surrounding aviation's contribution to climate change, the sector is increasingly scrutinised, especially in regard to tourism mobility questions. This paper identifies, examines and analyses the discourses that airlines choose to communicate via their websites regarding their role, responsibility and their viewpoints about the issues involved in their relationship to climate change. Studying the web is of growing importance: corporate organizations increasingly use the Internet to communicate influential discourses, engage consumers, and inform the media, who themselves use digital systems to form opinions and influence decisions. Drawing on publicly available communications from six contrasting UK airlines, the study seeks to identify their perceived roles and responsibilities as producers. The data are analysed through content and frame analyses. The study concludes, inter alia, that the airlines under study make both justifiable and unjustifiable claims, and use polarised prioritisation, scepticism and uncertainty creation to put forward their case. Airlines are classified into one of six types: (1) continuous committed benchmarkers, (2) realistic technological innovators, (3) minimal practicalities, (4) low-cost innovators, (5) low-cost sceptics and (6) low-cost opposers. The paper uses and adds to an emerging research method, netnography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper provides a background for the need to address climate change globally. In particular, it shows how the UK has addressed and is approaching the implications of climate change especially for its deemed critical infrastructure and the civil engineering profession. In addition, it sets out UK government responses, legislation background and policy decisions with regard to risk and infrastructure adaptation. It highlights some worldwide examples of climate change issues and recent severe events in the UK, such as storms, high winds, flooding, high and low temperatures and their costly consequences. Reference is made to historical and recent severe weather events and consequences leading to proposed actions for the adaptation of critical infrastructure in the transport, utilities and energy sectors. A description of current UK research programmes addressing climate change issues is included. An outline of how the UK insurance and financial sectors have built climate change into their business operations is also given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]