Adapting the UK to Climate Change

Transcription

1 Adapting the UK to Climate Change Institute of Physics response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution s invitation to submit information A full list of the Institute s responses and submissions to consultations can be found at 17 January 2008

2 17 January 2008 Jon Freeman Assistant Secretary Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution Third Floor 5-8 The Sanctuary Westminster London SW1P 3JS Dear Mr Freeman Adapting the UK to Climate Change The Institute of Physics is a scientific membership organisation devoted to increasing the understanding and application of physics. It has an extensive worldwide membership and is a leading communicator of physics with all audiences from specialists through government to the general public. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in scientific publishing and the electronic dissemination of physics. The Institute welcomes the opportunity to respond to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution s (RCEP) invitation to submit information to inform the scope of its study on Adapting the UK to Climate Change. The attached annex highlights issues in response to the broad topics listed by the RCEP, some of which featured in our response submitted on 22 August 2007 to inform the RCEP s choice of a future topic of study. If you need any further information on the points raised, please do not hesitate to contact me. Yours sincerely Professor Peter Main CPhys FInstP Director, Education and Science 2

3 Adapting the UK to Climate Change Key measures In light of the weather-related incidents that regions of the UK faced in 2007, especially flooding, the RCEP s study will be timely and could provide some additional impetus for the UK as a whole to face up to the adaptation challenges that climate change will pose. The Institute is of the view that the study should focus on: technologies to implement and improve coastal and river-based flood defences; technologies to efficiently remove (contaminated) water from flood-hit towns and cities; improving drainage systems to reduce localised flooding due to heavy rainfall; improving land use and building orientation for housing on susceptible sites (e.g. flood plains along rivers or low-lying land); make housing (e.g. new build) more resistant to flood water damage; having more designated land (e.g. large parks) to increase water retention; the implementation of energy efficient desalination plants; a rapid increase of rainwater and greywater systems, in order to reduce the demand for mains water supply; measures to protect water and power supplies; and strategic measures to increase the storage capacity for key supplies such as natural gas. Water management This topic could review the main risks posed by drought in one or more areas of the UK; contamination of freshwater sources through flooding and mixing with sewage; and perhaps the loss of reservoir contents in extreme circumstances. It is unlikely that there will be any overall water shortage in the UK mainland, but if there is a risk of this ever occurring, a possible solution would be a linked water pipe infrastructure to eliminate potential drought problems. It is well understood that the UK s existing pipe infrastructure needs to be overhauled and this is underway, albeit slowly. Losses through leakage have reached 40% in some areas, which is a serious issue as leakage can lead to cross contamination. The study could also consider a review of the plans of water companies to increase the speed of remedial action, whether by complete replacement or by repair. In addition, the potential contamination of reservoirs, and in some cases the risk of losing the contents of reservoirs, needs to be reviewed. In terms of future technology, physicists are in the process of undertaking research to develop portable water purification devices 1. The devices would involve efficient LEDs operating in the near 240 nanometre region, underpinning a new technology to annihilate bacteria in water. Such a technology would not only be very low in energy consumption and solar powered, but also low in manufacturing cost and lightweight, so that transport and assembly in remote locations would be possible. Such a device 1 3

4 could be life-saving if the UK experiences future floods on the scale of last year s events. Transport This topic could review the damage or temporary loss of infrastructure through storms and flooding. There are other countries in the world where such risks have been historically higher than what the UK could experience as a result of climate change, therefore such experience should be reviewed. Energy This topic could review the risks of potential disruption to fuel and electricity supplies, the distribution infrastructure and the flooding of facilities. The topic could also look at the need to strengthen the electricity grid and to replace (in some areas) the overhead system with an underground one. A review of storage adequacy, particularly for natural gas, also needs consideration. Construction and infrastructure This topic could include a review of the thermal modelling of the indoor environment, i.e. air flows, energy use, building design, overheating, thermal comfort, heat stress of the elderly, etc 2. Additional topic Monitoring and information: The RCEP may also wish to consider reviewing how information on the impacts of regional climate change could be gathered and used to inform the use of adaptation measures best suited for that region. This is an important area in which physics can contribute through improved regional scale climate forecasts (i.e. more accurate, and with better resolution in space and time) resulting in the ability to differentiate between different levels of risk. 2 Some of this work is in connection with the EPSRC call and the calls that preceded it. 4

5 The Institute of Physics is a scientific membership organisation devoted to increasing the understanding and application of physics. It has an extensive worldwide membership and is a leading communicator of physics with all audiences from specialists through government to the general public. Its publishing company, IOP Publishing, is a world leader in scientific publishing and the electronic dissemination of physics 76 Portland Place London W1B 1NT Tel: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) physics@iop.org Website: Registered Charity No