Basic Process to Managing Adaptation

Having identified the criticality of highway assets to our communities, it is key that vulnerabilities of highway assets and opportunities arising, due to climate change, are managed properly.

1. Define your Objectives and Decision Making Criteria

   Adaptation and mitigation against incremental and dangerous climate changes both need to be considered.

2. Understand the Climate Change Trends that affect Highways Assets

   Appreciate how climate change will affect asset management, what the current state is against which change will be measured and the model and scenarios used to predict potential climatic changes and their impacts.

3. Identify Vulnerabilities to assets and opportunities

   Vulnerability is the degree to which a system is susceptible to, and unable to cope with, adverse effects of climate change. It is mainly a function of locality and depends upon local physical features (topography, rivers, settlements), averages and extremes of weather and climate, socio-economic characteristics and the ability of the local community to respond in both the short and long-term.

4. Risk Appraisal and Analysis for Options

   Assessing impacts of different weather and climate events and the consequences of hazardous threats that need to be defended against or beneficial opportunities that can be exploited.

5. Develop an Adaptation Action Plan and Programme by defining the steps required

   Programmes to deliver adaptation actions that will build adaptive capacity and reduce vulnerability. Impacts on natural resources, biodiversity and whole ecosystems need to be managed to improve or enhance their resilience and where possible rely on more low-carbon, energy and resource efficient technologies.

6. Adaptation Programme Review and report Efficiency of Measure Implemented

   Adapting to climate change is an ongoing process, which demands that plans are constantly reviewed and monitored in light of the performance of programmes and changing circumstances.  Risks and opportunities need to be reassessed at appropriate intervals for continuous review of any adaptation plan.

HTMA Schedule of Vulnerabilities and Opportunities to Highways Assets

This table is by no means exhaustive, but does illustrate some examples as guidance. It can be downloaded by clicking here.

HTMA Risk Analysis Template

This template has been built as a risk analysis tool to assist in decision-making. It will identify specific climatic impacts, possible adaptation responses and help prioritise where resources should be focused and what changes need to be made to processes in the future. It can be downloaded by clicking here.