Table 1 Examples of priority areas from the brief policy document review

Public engagement and inequalities

 There is currently a lack of understanding at a community level of how climate hazards may impact people and communities. (Bristol City Council, 2020)

 Communication will certainly be key to ensuring that Dundee is resilient to climate change. (Dundee City Council, 2019)

 Researching and evidencing the specific local physical, mental, and perceived barriers to active travel in different circumstances and in different parts of the district in order to more effectively target and support engagement, education, incentives and interventions (Somerset West and Taunton Council, 2020)

 Climate change will exacerbate existing environmental inequalities, since some groups will be more affected by climate risks or have less capacity to prepare for them. We want to ensure no group is left behind by climate change in line with the government’s levelling up commitments… [We need] to better understand and integrate thinking on how we can reduce inequalities as a result of climate change. (Environment Agency, 2021)

Financial strategy and decision making

 There is a gap in understanding of the quantified economic impacts of climate hazards at a local level. We recommend quantification of economic impacts of climate hazards in Bristol is undertaken to help build a business case for action… This would aid understanding of the economic viability of climate adaptation and assist in stimulating funding for climate adaptation measures (Bristol City Council, 2020)

 Although adaptation and mitigation action may be expensive initially, if whole life costs are considered, often such measures tend to be cheaper than business as usual in the long term. Short term costs are often worth the savings across multiple departments and levels in the long term. (Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council, 2019)

 Many measures will have a financial return on investment, but many may not. However, many will have wider health and economic benefits which can be realised. As further work is done to draw up detailed implementation plans for our buildings, vehicles, and energy infrastructure, we will need to develop a detailed financial strategy (Dorset Council, 2022)