The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) are seeking three experienced, skilled and motivated people to serve on the Adaptation Committee (AC). The AC is a committee of the Climate Change Committee (CCC). It advises the Government on UK climate risks and opportunities, and reports to Parliament and each of the devolved legislatures with assessments of the UK Government’s progress in implementing its National Adaptation Programme (NAP). It also provides advice under devolved legislation, including under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009. The AC is currently made up of six experts from a range of sectors and disciplines. The desired candidates would have expertise in one or more of the following areas:
- Climate change impacts facing UK wildlife, the natural environment and agriculture;
- The economics of climate change adaption including natural capital approaches;
- Climate change risks and opportunities facing key sectors in the UK, including business and industry.
Person Specification
Candidates should be able to demonstrate all the following essential criteria:
- Ability to deliver results within a multi-disciplinary team and contribute to the AC’s strategic work, such as the development of its goals, priorities and management of outcomes;
- Proven analytical skills with the capacity to examine issues and provide advice (or manage the provision of advice) at a strategic level in ways which are impartial, creative, unbiased and solutions-focused, and propel the adaptation agenda;
- A collaborative style, with the ability to communicate and build relationships at all levels, including Ministers in the UK and Devolved Administrations, fellow Committee members, the AC secretariat and stakeholders in all sectors; and
- Good understanding of the range of the Committee’s work including the varying risks and priorities across the United Kingdom and the Devolved Administrations.
For the three specific roles candidates should be able to demonstrate one or more of the following:
- Demonstrable expertise in the impacts that UK wildlife, the natural environment and agriculture faces due to climate change and the adaptation options that can address them. A demonstrated understanding of the interconnected challenges of food production, greenhouse gas emissions reductions, nature restoration and climate change adaptation within UK landscapes. Understanding of policies to support land managers to achieve environmental and agricultural priorities (including the forthcoming Environmental Land Management schemes across the UK) would be highly desirable.
- A proven track record in the economics of climate change adaption including natural capital approaches, together with a wide-ranging understanding of the climate adaptation challenges facing the UK. Experience with standard Government policy appraisal methodologies (e.g. Green Book guidance) would be desirable, as would experience in economic appraisal techniques regarding other environmental issues (e.g. biodiversity).
- Demonstrable expertise in climate change adaptation, in particular to climate change risks and opportunities facing business and industry in the UK. Established networks within corporate environmental risk-management extending across economic sectors. Knowledge of corporate climate risk management methodologies, including through bodies such as the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures would be highly desirable, as would expertise in the challenge of achieving resilience in complex and interconnected supply chains.
Your CV and statement should be returned to the following address by the closing date: 12.00 (midday) on 31 January 2022.
Email to PublicAppts@defra.gov.uk quoting reference APPT01-22.
Further information about the role and how to apply can be found in the job advert here.
