Scottish climate change adaptation programme 2019-2024: strategic environmental assessment

Air and Climatic Factors

• The Adaptation Framework’s SEA identified limited impacts on air and climatic factors due to focus on adaptation. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Measures that support emissions reductions are likely to have positive effects on climatic factors. Positive secondary effects on air quality are likely from measures that support the decarbonisation of energy generation and transport. (Climate Change Bill SEA)
• Achieving emissions reductions will both increase resilience to future climatic change and facilitate adaptation, particularly through changes in land use management and through storing carbon in the terrestrial and marine environments. (Climate Change Bill SEA).

Biodiversity

• The Adaptation Framework’s SEA identified potential for mixed impacts on biodiversity, and uncertainty around possible interactions. Actions seek to improve adaptive capacity. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Measures that support resilient habitats, tackle invasive species, and manage coastal habitats in particular are likely to result in positive effects on biodiversity. (Sector Action Plans SEA)
• Natural environment measures will have largely positive effects on biodiversity, and potential negative effects from flood risk measures will depend on alleviation methods used. (SCCAP1 SEA)
• Measures that result in changes to buildings have the potential to impact biodiversity (e.g. bats and birds) and should be considered at project level. (Climate Change Plan and Energy Strategy SEA)

Population and Human Health

• Findings from previous relevant SEA work suggest that different sectors of the population are likely to be impacted in different ways and further research is needed to determine where greater adaptation action is required. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Positive effects on population and human health are likely from flood management and risk avoidance measures as well as emergency responses to flooding, wildfire, and disease. (Sector Action Plans SEA)
• In the long-term, there may be opportunities to address the positive (e.g. improved physical and mental wellbeing) as well as the potentially negative (e.g. greater exposure to ultraviolet light) impacts associated with increased outdoor access. (SCCAP1 SEA)
• Positive secondary effects on population and human health are likely from measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality (particularly through decarbonisation of energy generation and transport). (Climate Change Bill SEA)
• Additional benefits to human health and wellbeing are likely from measures that facilitate improved energy security. (Climate Change Plan and Energy Strategy SEA)

Soil

• Findings from previous relevant SEA work suggests soil’s role as a carbon store is largely protected. However, there is a need to improve integration of soil management across topic areas and enhance our understanding of soil’s vulnerability to climate change. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Previous SEA work on Sector Action Plans did not identify adverse effects on soil based on assumptions around agricultural and forestry sector protection of soil quality and biodiversity. (Sector Action Plans SEA)
• Adaptation measures that support buildings and infrastructure networks including potential excavation works linked to transport infrastructure resilience could result in mixed effects on soils. (SCCAP1 SEA)

Water

• The Adaptation Framework’s SEA considered the impacts of climate change on the water environment and recognised scope to improve understanding of competing demands on the water environment. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Certain measures in the SEA of the Sector Action Plans were identified as supporting water quality and flood management. (Sector Action Plans SEA)
• Natural environment measures could have medium and long-term benefits for water and further measures addressing impacts on water quality and quantity could be beneficial. (SCCAP1 SEA)

Material Assets

• There will be mixed effects on material assets resulting from climate change adaptation measures across different policy sectors. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Sector responses to the need to protect forestry and agriculture and increase the sustainability of transport and infrastructure could have positive effects on material assets. (Sector Action Plans SEA)
• Adaptation measures that support the natural environment and buildings and infrastructure networks could have positive effects on material assets in the medium/long-term. (SCCAP1 SEA)
• Further work to identify impacts on energy generation arising from changes in water supply, temperature, and storm damage as a direct result of climate change could be beneficial. (SCCAP1 SEA)
• New infrastructure required to reduce emissions will be the primary source of any negative secondary effects on other receptors. Effects can be reduced through reuse wherever possible and project level mitigation. (Climate Change Bill SEA)

Cultural Heritage

• Conflict between protection of cultural heritage and adaptation actions is likely and direct and indirect adaptation responses are likely to result in mixed impacts. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Some positive effects may be likely through protective measures. (Sector Action Plans SEA)
• Measures that result in changes to buildings have the potential to impact cultural heritage and should be considered at project level. Measures taken to increase the resilience of some forms of transport infrastructure could also have an effect on cultural heritage. (SCCAP1 SEA)

Landscape

• Adaptation measures are likely to result in landscape change and this could result in positive or negative impacts. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Policy protection for landscapes outside protected areas is more limited and so such landscapes are more vulnerable to change. (Climate Change Adaptation Framework SEA)
• Potential negative effects on landscapes from flood risk measures will depend on the alleviation methods used. (SCCAP1 SEA)