London Climate Change Partnership (LCCP)

Written by Emily Martin

Climate change is an already unavoidable issue and will only become increasingly catastrophic if drastic measures are not taken soon. These changes are not just limited to increased temperature, increased instances of extreme weather conditions can also be expected, increasing risk of both flooding and droughts. Hotter temperatures are often felt more in urban areas due to their high concentration of man-made structures and past lack of focus on integrating nature into their design. With London being one of the largest cities in Europe it is no surprise that these effects are felt so strongly in the capital, and that many elements that allow the city to thrive are at risk of climate catastrophe soon. The city must not only cut its contributions to climate change, but also become more resilient to future changes that are already inevitable to continue functioning. It is important that taking measures to adapt to climate change be made an integral part of all city planning, as preparing for these changes pre-emptively is much less of an economic burden than retrofitting and recovering after disaster. Organisations such as the London Climate Change Partnership (LCCP) aim to drive forward these changes and protect the functionality of London through impending climate change.

The LCCP is a centre for expertise on climate change adaptation and resilience to extreme weather in London. Active since 2001, the partnership seeks to combat the already present effects resulting from climate change and mitigate against future changes to allow London to continue thriving well into the future. They do this by raising awareness and setting up problem-specific projects to focus people with high levels of expertise in different fields into one area. The LCCP is made up of a combination of private, public and community sector organisations that are united by a common understanding of how necessary it is to act quickly and effectively. They have already greatly furthered the understanding of the city’s key vulnerabilities, but there is still a long way to go before London is a climate resilient city.

The main extreme weather conditions resulting from climate change that will threaten London’s function are heatwaves, drought and flooding. London, like most large cities, generates its own microclimate known as the urban heat island (UHI). This is due to the fact that many of the materials used in the urban environment have a high capacity to absorb and then slowly release heat, and it means that the temperature in the city can reach 10°C higher than in the areas surrounding it. This increases the need for mechanical cooling to keep those that are vulnerable safe, which in turn hinders London aims for sustainability. To combat this the LCCP supports the mayors’ goals to make half the cities area green space by 2050, while also giving advice on retrofitting to reduce temperature and communicating the health risks of extreme hot weather.

Other extreme weather conditions in the city are likely to come because rainfall is set to become more seasonal, with up to 26% more in the winter and 29% less in the summer by 2080. This means the storage of water for times of drought will become increasingly important, on an individual to an organisational scale. Demand for water is set to increase due to increasing population and higher temperatures, so this storage must be paired with efforts to minimise water loss and increase the efficiency of its domestic and commercial use. London is also prone to flooding from multiple sources, with 15% of the city in a flood plain. This area includes infrastructure key to the city’s survival, like train stations and hospitals, as well as many people homes. This area is protected only by flood defences, many of which are not of a high enough standard to defend against future pressures. These defences also do not protect against the risk of flooding from surface water or sewer overflow from heavy rainfall. This is due to many of the surfaces in London being impermeable and the continued use of Victorian drainage systems that cannot cope with modern pressures. The LCCP recognises that it is key that sustainable drainage is developed, and sufficient sewerage is built into all new developments.

The LCCP identifies that there are other challenges faced because of climate change that are specific to London, for example its higher risk level due to its density, complexity and location. London is the economic engine of the UK and is an integral part of the global economy, so any significant reductions in its functionality would have drastic national and international repercussions. The city is also home to a high concentration of vulnerable groups, and these are the people that are likely to be affected by climate change first and in the most extreme ways. The diverse and fragmented nature of the communities in London may also make communicating the risks of the changing climate to people here harder than in other areas of the UK.

The main mission of the LCCP is for London to become the globes most climate resilient city, through all aspects of its structure adapting dynamically. They also aim for London to be a global leader in this field and reap the many benefits of this level of success. Their mission also emphasises bringing together various groups of different scales to maximise the effectiveness of their decisions and efforts. They plan on advancing their mission by collecting and sharing information not only about current and future changes and their impacts, but also on where they plan on commissioning further research. They plan to raise the awareness of both individuals and organisations so that maximum efforts can be taken to reduce our carbon footprint. It is important that any key information or experiences be exchanged with other cities also seeking to increase adaptability while reducing carbon consumption, both nationally and internationally. Policies must be informed by local evidence London’s preparedness must continuously be monitored.

Overall, the LCCP is a wide stretching organisation relying heavily on both internal and external communication of ideas and information to inform decisions. They are making significant strides in the preparation of London for inevitable climate change while also seeking to reduce consumption to avoid more catastrophic effects in the future.