Climate Change Networking Evening

Join us for an evening of thought-provoking conversation, potential new partnerships and the chance to meet with members of our Climate Change Working Group.

Our keynote this time will be delivered by Dr Steven Wade, Technical Director at AtkinsRéalis.

Steven Wade has 30 years’ experience in environmental and climate consultancy roles at HR Wallingford, the Met Office and AtkinsRéalis. He provides advice on climate resilience in the water, energy and transport infrastructure sectors globally, with a focus on understanding risks, adaptation planning and resilience in design. Steven works on major infrastructure projects in the UK as well as following his strong interests in international development, by working on climate risks in some of the most vulnerable countries in the world, including Egypt, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pacific islands.

Steven led the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment in 2012, while at HR Wallingford; the development of H++ climate change scenarios at the Met Office (CCRA2) and has delivered influential projects for the National Infrastructure Commission and UK water industry that guide our approach to adaptation in the UK water sector. He has been an Independent Environmental Advisor to Severn Trent Water, one of the UK’s leading water companies, and has provided Climate Assurance on High Speed 2 (HS2), the UK’s largest transport project. He is a Global Atkins Fellow for Climate Change, Member of the UK Climate Services Knowledge Network and an empanelled advisor on Asian Development Bank Water and Climate Change Panels.

Steven will discuss several “wicked” climate change problems with rapid increases in risk affecting large numbers of people in the UK and internationally, and reflect how our approaches to risk assessment and adaptation planning have changed since the 1990s. He will also share his thoughts on how much progress the UK has made in climate change risk and adaptation since the 2008 Climate Change Act, and explore some of the success stories and failures, including:

• Climate change risk assessment – from UKCP98 to UKCP18, local and national risk assessments
• Adaptation planning – from regional planning to EA Climate Ready and ARPs
• Investment and finance – levels of funding and the new world of climate finance