Informing adaptation: how do UK organisations view and use climate information?

Comprehensively addressing adaptation requires raising the awareness on climate change, recognising the factors influencing engagement and adoption of adaptation options, and understanding perceptions of climate change. However, while there is an extensive literature on public (individual and social) awareness and perspectives on hazards, risk, and impacts, as well as the broader concern for climate change, there are limited insights on organisational perceptions. Nevertheless, there is an inherent importance of focusing on organisational preparedness, adaptation and resilience given the differential impacts of climate change on organisational structure and operations and noting that organisational adaptive capacity is poorly understood.

This research offers unique organisational insights through an analysis of a national survey of UK-based organisations’ perceptions about adapting to a changing climate. Administered in spring 2021, the survey examines the responses of 2,400 persons with organisational planning roles on awareness of climate change and its physical risks, as well as ongoing action and perceived challenges to adaptation by organisations in the UK. In this research phase, we focus on the specific awareness of climate information by organisations, including the private sector, local authorities, public health and education sectors, as well as the volunteer sector, and note the indicated frequency, ease of use, and reliability of specified climate information sources across the different sectors. This research offers a platform for dialogue on the need to increase and improve risk communication to interest groups including a variety of organisations, as well as balancing organisational concerns relating to uncertainty and financial bottom-line.