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Protecting our vital infrastructure

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Protecting our vital infrastructure

Have your say on how we can create resilience in our regional infrastructure.

Introduction

We often take physical infrastructure for granted, the complex structures on which our ways of life are built – the water, electricity and gas we use; footpaths, cyclepaths, roads and railways; phonelines and the internet; walls, buildings and bridges – they are all parts of everyday life that we don’t really pay attention to. Until something goes wrong. And with the changes in our climate, the risk of these systems faltering increases.

There is already good work happening in our region, but more action is needed to improve and adapt our infrastructure in preparation for the challenges our changing climate will continue to bring.

Below you will find a draft report, bringing together the themes, thoughts and existing research and informed by our Delivering Impact session on this topic, setting out actions we can take in the region to adapt our infrastructure to ensure the services we rely on in everyday life are robust and reliable when we most need them.

Please read the report (or the summary in the box if you're pressed for time) and give us your views in the short survey below.

Read our draft Regional Climate Action Report

We have prepared a report (you can read and download it below) bringing in ideas and expertise from our commissioners, research, and experts who are tackling the problem across the country, in the region, and on the ground. You can watch the expert speaker session in the video at the foot of this page.

At this stage, the report might not give the full picture so we would really value your feedback. The ideas we are discussing affect everyone - we want to know what you think. Please give your responses in the survey below.

Key messages

There are challenges that need to be overcome to create more resilience in our regional infrastructure.

Planning cycles and the timelines that major regulators, such as Ofgem and Ofwat, work to need to be aligned.
Scenarios to plan for need to be consistent across different infrastructure providers so compound effects can be factored into risk assessments and investment decisions.
Information needs to be shared between service providers to facilitate joined-up planning.
We need an improved spatial understanding of vulnerabilities, problem sources and existing solutions to facilitate joined-up approaches.
Regional funding for adaptation measures could be generated through a levy scheme.

What we would like to know

We would like your input to challenge and shape the ideas set out in this first draft.

We are keen to hear from experts on different aspects of infrastructure to ensure rigour in our interpretation of the science and social factors underpinning this paper.

We are equally keen to hear the views of people who live and work in Yorkshire and Humber to ensure our final position paper and actions address the needs of people and communities across the region.

Check out the report on infrastructure

Infrastructure Delivering Impact report.pdf

pdf

How important do you feel this issue is?

Not important

Very important

How confident are you that the issue is being addressed at present?

Not at all confident

Very confident

In what capacity are you responding?

Select one or more options

Add something else

If you are responding in a professional capacity, which of these best describes the organisation you work for?

Select one option

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Why do you think this issue is important for Yorkshire and Humber?

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To what extent do you think enough is happening now to address this issue within Yorkshire and Humber

Not enough

Enough

Do you think it's possible to do more to address this issue in Yorkshire and Humber without significant changes in national policies?

Not at all possible

Definitely possible

Do you agree with the themes highlighted for improving resilience in our regional infrastructure? (Select all the ones you agree with. If you have suggestions of others, please tell us)

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Add something else

Which of these actions do you think are most important in enabling us to address this issue within Yorkshire and Humber?

Sort in order of importance, with most important at the top.

How confident do you feel that the issue would be addressed if the proposals set out in this report were adopted?

Not at all confident

Very confident

Have we missed anything that could help address this issue?

Should anything in the paper be removed or changed?

What other suggestions do you have about regional actions that could improve our infrastructure resilience?

If you have any relevant resources you'd like to share with us, please upload them here

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Watch this video if you are interested in watching the full recording of the expert panel presentations on climate adaptation and resilience for infrastructure. Watching this video is optional and if you do not want to watch, simply click 'next' to submit your survey.

We heard from four expert speakers in our Delivering Impact Session on 9th December 2022, each presenting their perspectives on what needs to happen for our infrastructure to become climate resilient, and then discussed the opportunities and the actions we could take as a region.

Climate adaptation and resilience for infrastructure
David Dawson, University of Leeds
Adaptation and resilience standards
Professor John Dora, Climate Sense
Northern Powergrid climate change adaptation
Claire Thomas, Northern Powergrid
Cascade impacts from extreme events
Amanda Crossfield, Yorkshire Water

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Protecting our vital infrastructure