Analysis of risks related to climate change and preparation of an adaptation plan
Brief
Identify and quantify the potential impacts of climate change on two production plant facilities, also as an element of the context analysis required by the 2018 edition of the UNI CEI EN ISO 50001 standard.
Project challenge
To respond to a new and increasingly urgent need, that of understanding and assessing the effects of climate change on specific production activities. The agri-food sector is particularly sensitive both from the point of view of procurement and from that of transformation processes (physical damage to plants, effects on the upstream and downstream logistics chain for product supply and distribution). This need requires the application of very specific skills and cannot yet count on standardised and widespread methodologies.
Solution
: a vulnerability analysis was conducted according to the National Plan for Adaptation to Climate Change (NPACC), which adopts the proposals of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in identifying three key components for the assessment and management of climate change risks:
- a) hazard analysis;
- b) exposure analysis;
- c) vulnerability analysis.
Execution phases
Characterisation of the main climate variables with reference to the current and future scenarios, for the specific areas of interest, based on the results of available projections.
Compilation of a complete list of potential impacts on the company resulting from climate change.
Assessment of risks and opportunities.
Workshop to share the results for a risk self-assessment through the guided completion of a questionnaire focusing on past events and any previously implemented adaptation solutions.
Review of the previously developed risk assessment.
Identification of possible adaptation measures including, where possible, a technical-financial feasibility study.
Drafting of the Climate Change Adaptation Plan.
Integration of the results within the context analysis tools envisaged by the Energy Management System (UNI CEI EN ISO 50001:2018).
Achieved results
on the basis of the risk analysis carried out, the actions considered to be a priority for dealing with future climate change were identified. The Climate Change Adaptation Plan foresees three types of actions:
- GREY: structural or material interventions for the improvement and adaptation of plant facilities and infrastructure to climate change;
- GREEN: besides incorporating elements of the foregoing material and structural intervention, these are distinguished by proposing “nature based” solutions linked to the use or sustainable management of ecosystem “services” to reduce climate change impact;
- SOFT: these do not require direct structural and material interventions, although they are preparatory to the implementation of the latter, contributing to the creation of adaptive capacity through increased knowledge or the development of appropriate organisational tools.