After a summer of record-breaking heatwaves around the world, and floods and wildfires here in the UK, it is clear that climate impacts are worsening at an alarming rate. This brings with it an increasingly urgent need to adapt our landscapes, buildings and communities and build resilience to the increasing threat presented. Research by the National Trust and Public First earlier in 2023 found that 79% of the UK public are worried they’ll be personally affected by climate impacts, and only 4% think the UK is well-prepared to deal with them. Meanwhile the climate adaptation agenda continues to be ignored in the public and political discourse.

Fit for the Future is continuing to connect organisations to climate change research and activity with this member webinar focusing on a new report releasing this November – A Climate for Change: Adapting the National Trust. The report aims to set out the scale of the climate threat to the UK’s nature and heritage, and map out what is currently being done, and what more needs to be done, to adapt. The report will cover a wide variety of impact areas:

⋅ Communities at the coast

⋅ Historic buildings and collections

⋅ Nature and nature restoration

⋅ Visitor business and operations

⋅ Gardens

⋅ Water in the landscape

This webinar marks the launch of the new report, and will set out the National Trust’s unique approach to climate change adaptation to the complexity of adapting all of our diverse places, set within both the lived realities of climate impacts and the wider national policy context. This webinar will be of interest to all organisations, as we hear from those working at the front line of climate adaptation and resilience as we explore the challenges and opportunities for our historic buildings, natural landscapes, gardens, rivers, coasts, businesses and communities.

As with all Fit for the Future events we want members to be directly involved, to not only ask questions but to also provide opinions, ideas and updates on their work. We would love to hear from you, if you would like to be on a panel at this webinar please do get in touch with the Fit for the Future team.