Initial Climate Change Impact Assessment (Form created August 2021)

The intention of this document is to help the council to gain an initial understanding of the impact of a project or decision on the environment. This document should be completed in consultation with the supporting guidance. Dependent on this initial assessment you may need to go on to complete a full Climate Change Impact Assessment. The final document will be published as part of the decision-making process.

If you have any additional queries, which are not covered by the guidance please email climatechange@northyorks.gov.uk

Title of proposal	North East Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme 2027-33
Brief description of proposal	Permission is being sort to apply for 100% external grant aid funding administered by the Environment Agency to undertake phase 4 of the North East Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme 2027-33. NYC is the current lead Authority undertaking the phase 3 North East Regional Coastal Monitoring Programme (2021-27). Phase 4 is essential a continuation of what is already in place and undertaken by the Authority. The overarching aim of the NERCMP is to provide the appropriate evidence on which robust and efficient FCERM decisions, responses and investment can be based. To meet this aim, the following objectives have been set: · Assist in the definition of risk from coastal flooding and erosion, · Provide data to underpin re-evaluation of those risks under future change, · Provide a holistic overview of coastal defence, responding to national and local priorities · Improve understanding of coastal process behaviour. Data is essential for the justification, design, performance and impact monitoring of any coastal intervention. This applies to traditional defence & protection works, and even more so to adaptive measures where communities require reassurance about coastal change. The dynamic nature of coastal environments and the complex linkages between environmental drivers, natural and manmade resources and flood and erosion risk require long-term and consistent monitoring.
Directorate	Environment
Service area	Harbours and Coastal Infrastructure
Lead officer	Robin Siddle, Senior Project & Programme Manager (Coastal)
Names and roles of other people involved in carrying out the impact assessment

The chart below contains the main environmental factors to consider in your initial assessment – choose the appropriate option from the drop-down list for each one.

Remember to think about the following.

· Travel

· Construction

· Data storage

· Use of buildings

· Change of land use

· Opportunities for recycling and reuse

Environmental factor to consider	For the council	For the county	Overall
Greenhouse gas emissions	No effect on emissions	No Effect on emissions	No effect on emissions
Waste	No effect on waste	No effect on waste	No effect on waste
Water use	No effect on water usage	No effect on water usage	No effect on water usage
Pollution (air, land, water, noise, light)	No effect on pollution	No effect on pollution	No effect on pollution
Resilience to adverse weather/climate events (flooding, drought etc)	No effect on resilience	No effect on resilience	No effect on resilience
Ecological effects (biodiversity, loss of habitat etc)	No effect on ecology	No effect on ecology	No effect on ecology
Heritage and landscape	No effect on heritage and landscape	No effect on heritage and landscape	No effect on heritage and landscape

If any of these factors are likely to result in a negative or positive environmental impact, then a full climate change impact assessment will be required. It is important that we capture information about both positive and negative impacts to aid the council in calculating its carbon footprint and environmental impact.

Decision (Please tick one option)	Full CCIA not relevant or proportionate:	X	Continue to full CCIA:
Reason for decision	The proposed funding bid, if successful will lead to the collection of data that provides key information to monitor some of the effects of climate change. Hydrodynamic data for example provides key information on waves heights, frequency and storm intensity. Increased storminess is a known effect of climate change and something the programme has been monitoring for nearly 20 years. The data collection itself does not have a negative or positive environmental impact, it just provides an evidence base for coastal managers to utilise. As consistent monitoring is undertaken on a national scale it contributes to wider state of understanding of flood and coastal management and feeds into state of the nation reports and policy lead by the Government.    Where possible key avoidance action will be undertaken to reduce the programmes carbon footprint. Being part of the National Network of Regional Coastal Monitoring Programmes, the North East Regional Programme is required by the Environment Agency to submit a Carbon Log at the end of the monitoring phase.
Signed (Assistant Director or equivalent)	Callum McKeon
Date	20/02/2026