The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has achieved considerable success this year in setting the agenda for the UK government on evidence-based engineering approaches to climate change. The Institution has recently been chosen by DEFRA and the UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) to launch the latest predicted UK 21st century climate models to the engineering community at Birdcage Walk on 9 July 2009.
The UK Climate Projections are cutting-edge climate change scenarios which will give an insight into what scientists believe could be the projected future climate in the UK over the next 100 years. The scenarios will help organisations plan and prepare for the impacts of our changing climate. Developed by a consortium for the UK Government, and the devolved assemblies and executives of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, they are based on sophisticated modelling by the Hadley Centre - a world leader in climate science. The UK Climate Projections will underpin the Government’s Adapting to Climate Change programme.
The projections will include vital information on temperature, rainfall and sea level rise up to the end of the century for three different greenhouse gas emissions scenarios. For the first time, they will be able to provide a range of possible outcomes rather than a single estimate. Undoubtedly, they will be key to assessing impacts of climate change such as floods, water supply, overheating of buildings and risks to infrastructure; and actions to address these risks such as building regulations, planning decisions, regeneration investments and local government action with communities. All of which were highlighted in the Institution’s recent Climate Change Adapation report
UK CIP and DEFRA are supporting organisations to understand the UK Climate Projections, by means of a campaign of events called: Projections in Practice (PiP). The aim of these events will be to:
- raise general awareness of the Projections and give an overview, highlighting the headline messages and data
- talk about adapting to climate change in relation to the engineering sector
- illustrate how they can be used to support adaptation planning
- set them in the context of the wider adapting to climate change agenda
- give details of what information is available
- highlight other sources of support and information for organisations
- offer technical training where needed.
PiP events will offer:
- expert guidance
- presentations
- training sessions on extracting and using the projections’ data.
The Institution of Mechanical Engineers has been specially chosen to present the UK Climate Projections to the UK engineering sector, with a free targeted event at Birdcage Walk, from 9.30am – 1pm on 9 July 2009, which is open to all members.
Talking about the event and the significance of the projections, the Institution’s Head of Environment, Dr Tim Fox, stated: “Nobody can really know for sure precisely what the UK’s climate will be like in 90 years’ time. What we do know is that it is vital to have reliable evidence to hand that can enable UK Government, businesses and organizations to make the right decisions to be able to plan ahead effectively and be prepared for the adaptation we will all inevitably need to make as our climate changes. Being a source of trustworthy facts and information and setting the agenda for policy on climate change is precisely what the Institution is all about.”
“The Projections in Practice event here at the Institution is aimed at anyone in the engineering sector whose role involves decision making, risk management and future planning, who need fact-based information to be able to assess the future risks faced by their business or organisation, and consider a range of options available to them to make informed choices.”
The Projections in Practice event will take place at the Institution’s Birdcage Walk headquarters on 9 July 2009. To register for the event, please email: environment@imeche.org
For further information about the Institution’s approaches to climate change.
For more information about the Government’s Adapting to Climate Change programme.