Contingency planning for potential risks and changes in air quality, water resources, flooding and biodiversity is made difficult for planning professionals due to uncertainties about climate change. Yet local authorities, businesses and communities need to prepare strategies now to avoid unacceptable costs in future years.

This conference will acknowledge what is being done on the International level, but concentrate on practical actions within the responsibility of local and regional authorities to adapt to changing weather patterns. The conference will observe how planners, and those promoting and responsible for new developments, can assess risk and appraise and adapt to necessary change that will occur within their field of responsibility.

Speakers include:
Chair: Jenny Jones, Deputy Mayor of London; speakers; Dr Lisa Horrocks, Global Atmosphere Division, DEFRA; Prof. Nigel Arnell, Hd of School of Geography, University of Southampton; Dr Richenda Connell, Technical Director, UK Climate Impacts Programme; Trevor Houghton, Director, CAG Consultants; Alex Cox, Senior Consultant, ERM; Robert Wilby, Climate Change Science Manager, Environment Agency; Steve Waller, Principal Consultant Local Sustainability, IDeA; Prof. David Crichton, Insurance Research Consultant, Middlesex University; David Murphy, Strategy & Risk Policy Manager, Flood Defence, Environment Agency; Dr Penny Bramwell, Hd of Sustainable Development Unit, Government Office for London; Jack Hacker, Senior Scientist, Arup; Bill Dunster, Bill Dunster Architects; Prof. John Handley, Director, Centre for Urban and Regional Ecology, University of Manchester