External sources of information on climate change
Discover helpful climate change and biodiversity information and advice
AR5 Synthesis Report: Climate Change 2014
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2014 Fifth Assessment Report provides an overview of the knowledge surrounding climate change. The IPCC release an updated version of this report usually every five to seven years, with the sixth report due in 2022 (slightly delayed owing to Covid). The Summary for Policymakers is a useful place to start as it gives an overview of the entire report while removing much of the technical jargon.
Global Warming of 1.5 ºC
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) 2018 special report into global warming of 1.5 degrees. This report outlines the differences in risks between global warming of 1.5 degrees and 2 degrees. The Summary for Policymakers is a useful place to start as it gives an overview of the entire report while removing much of the technical jargon.
Local Flood Risk Management Strategy
The Isle of Wight Council is Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) under the Flood and Water Management Act 2010 (FWMA). The FWMA places a statutory duty on the Isle of Wight Council to develop, maintain, implement, and monitor a Local Flood Risk Management Strategy to manage local flood risk in its area. The purpose of this strategy is to help local communities and businesses to better understand and manage flood risk on the Island.
Isle of Wight Coastal Defence Schemes
The Environment Agency, in partnership with the Isle of Wight Council, is looking to refurbish existing coastal defences to reduce the impact of flood and coastal erosion events around the Isle of Wight coastline.
Isle of Wight Shoreline Management Plan
The Isle of Wight coast will change over the next 100 years due the impacts of marine erosion, ground instability and flooding by the sea. The Shoreline Management Plan is the means by which coastal managers determine the best way to look after the coast in a sustainable way for the next 100 years.
Natural Enterprise
Natural Enterprise is an economic and environmental partnership and the website is an overview of rural Isle of Wight. It includes sections on the impacts of climate change.
Isle of Wight Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy (CAMS)
- Download the Isle of Wight Catchment Abstraction Management Strategy (CAMS) (Environment Agency, 2004) (PDF, 1MB, 52 pages)
The purpose of the CAMS report is to: inform the public on water resources and licensing practice; provide a consistent approach to local water resources management and help to balance the needs of water-users and the environment.
Historic landscapes on the Isle of Wight – Climate Change report
The Isle of Wight Historic Environment Action Plan (HEAP) identifies areas of importance for archaeology, the historic landscape and the historic built environment and sets out strategies for their local management, the climate change report identifies heritage sites vulnerable to changes in our climate.
Adapting to climate change
This national guide for local councils provides, advice, tools and case studies to help local councils prepare for climate change.
UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP)
UKCIP works at the boundary between scientific research, policy makers and stakeholders. Acting to coordinate and influence research into our future climate and to share the outputs in ways that are useful to stakeholders.
The UKCIP website contains case studies as part of their toolkit, primarily related to local authorities, but which could be applied to other sectors.
Isle of Wight Biodiversity and Climate Change
A series of reports outlining how the Island’s biodiversity may be affected by the changing climate and the actions that can be taken to protect the various habitats and species.
More information about biodiversity on the Isle of Wight can be found at Wild on Wight’s website.