Richard Dawson, Professor of Earth System Engineering at Newcastle University, was the lead author of the Infrastructure section of the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2017.
Tindall Centre for Climate Change. happisburgh, Norfolk Broads. Protection no longer fundable central government, allowed to fail, condemned village to sea. As the cliff erroded the sediment released, allowed natural beach protection to people north in broads.
With sea levels known to rise, we assessed the number of different scenarios between different engineering trade offs along 72 kilometes of the coast. Then worked with communities and governments implications of choices and look for sustainable pathways. Benefits economic terms, protection of norfolk broads far exceed protection of the cliffs. This provided an economic argument to offer compensation for cliff top home owners. It is a microcosm of climate change challenges.
Lessons learned
- There are trade offs in managing different climate change risks
- Engineering choices do not only impact on local communities but larger area
- Should involve community, who must own and help create solutions. takes time. More sustainable.
The science that links carbon and other green house gasses established in early 1800. What, where and how we construct our built environment infrastructure influences how we address climate change into the future. How is it possible t prepare cities for climate change? Amsterdam in 1970s not a heaven for cyclists. Through multi disciplinary combination legislation and planning infrastructure, cycling became safer and more appealing, now a 1/4 of all journey’s are by bike.
Climate ready cities.