Sutton created a Climate Portfolio to ensure climate action, including adaptation, is mainstreamed across the Council.
Introduction
This case study was collected by London Councils as part of their London Leading: Case Studies in Climate Resilience Leadership report, which showcases how London boroughs are making climate adaptation a priority and embedding action within councils.
Sutton created a Climate Portfolio to ensure climate action, including adaptation, is mainstreamed across the Council. The Portfolio captures climate work carried out across the organisation. Reports are presented at meetings with each Directorate Management Team at least twice a year and there are monthly climate meetings with the lead Member. Supporting this, Climate Impact Assessments are a mandatory requirement of all committee reports and integral project documents.
Sutton underwent mandatory climate awareness training for managers and education on how to use the Climate Impact Assessment tool. Where teams deem that a Climate Impact Assessment is not required, they must obtain agreement from the Climate Action and Emergency Planning Team to omit this.
How did it start?
Delivery had sat mainly with one directorate and was missing activity from across the wider organisation. ‘Action on Climate Change’ was included in the council’s Ambitious for Sutton Corporate Plan (2022 - 2027) creating a mandate to embed across the organisation.
How does it build resilience?
The Portfolio provides a clear oversight of climate action, helping to identify gaps and develop a better understanding of interdependencies and opportunities for collaboration. This ensures all council teams recognise climate action as a shared responsibility. The Climate Impact Assessments ensure that projects consider climate adaptation and identify opportunities for building resilience from the outset.
Alongside Climate Impact Assessments, all officers bidding for funding through the capital programme are required to demonstrate how their project would consider or support the goals of the Environment Strategy and Climate Emergency Response Plan, helping leverage funding that can support the delivery of capital climate adaptation measures. This also provides the climate team with insight into each project and its climate benefits.
What are the challenges?
The Climate Action and Emergency Planning team supports colleagues in completing CIAs and collects data when resources are constrained. Quantifying costs of climate action within large multi-faceted projects is a challenge but this is important to provide an estimate of the Council’s spend on climate action.
Conclusion
Embedding resilience should be built into governance structures as a mandatory requirement.
This case study was collected by London Councils as part London Leading: Case Studies in Climate Resilience Leadership report. You can view the full report on the London Councils website.
Contact information
Katrina Lloyd
[email protected]
Sarah Wheeldon
[email protected]