Rachel holds an MSc in Climate Change and Sustainable Development
This guidance suite has been produced by Local Partnerships alongside associated guidance developed by the Chartered Institution of Highways and Transportation (Operational Framework Guidance, and Operational Checklists Responding to climate disruption).
The content has been co-created with the sector and draws on a range of key sources including the Department for Transport’s Transport Hazard Summaries, outputs from the UK Roads Liaison Group’s 2025 regional resilience workshops, and an expert review workshop held at CIHT on 8 June 2026.
This guidance follows the approach in the Climate Adaptation Toolkit for Local Authorities, and is best used alongside this toolkit, the CIHT operation guidance and the Met Office Local Authority Climate Service (LACS)
Discover guides, toolkits and case studies that build on this topic
In the world in which councils operate, property professionals have a critical role to play in shaping future organisations. This lunchtime webinar series brings together leading voices from across the sector to explore how property teams can navigate change, strengthen capability, seize new opportunities and deliver lasting value for communities. Drawing on practical experience from local government and beyond, each session will combine expert insights, real-world examples and an interactive discussion on the issues that matter most to property leaders today.
The Climate Adaptation & Mitigation Matrix is a practical tool designed to help local authorities understand, assess and respond to the potential impacts of climate change and extreme weather on waste services and supporting infrastructure.
The matrix considers a range of climate-related hazards, including heatwaves, flooding and extreme cold, and their potential implications for collection services, household waste and recycling centres, transfer stations, operational depots and key supply chain facilities. It provides a high-level checklist of both short- and longer-term adaptation and mitigation measures that authorities can consider to strengthen the resilience and continuity of their services.
Drawing on research, case studies and stakeholder engagement, the matrix brings together practical actions and considerations in one place. It is not intended to prescribe a single approach; rather, it provides a flexible framework that local authorities can adapt to reflect their own climate risks, infrastructure, service models, geography and local circumstances.
The toolkit also highlights opportunities to embed climate resilience into existing organisational processes and decision-making, rather than treating adaptation as a standalone activity. This includes considering resilience measures through procurement and contract management, budget and capital planning, policy and strategy reviews, asset management, service transformation programmes and wider operational planning.
By using the matrix as a prompt for discussion, review and forward planning, local authorities can identify vulnerabilities, prioritise appropriate interventions and progressively build greater resilience into waste services, infrastructure and supply chains.
With recent heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts highlighting the growing impacts of climate change, it’s more important than ever for councils to understand and prepare for climate risks. Explore our two newly updated climate adaptation resources, both revised and refreshed to reflect the CCC’s Fourth Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk (CCRA4-IA).
The UK Government has committed to reducing carbon emissions to net zero by 2050, and 70% of local authorities in the UK have declared a climate emergency. Net zero cannot be achieved without adaptation.
Adaptation (in climate change context) is otherwise known as resilience or preparedness. Resilience is the ambition, adaptation is the method.
We need to adapt to the challenges that arise from the significant climate impacts we are facing in the UK, and take advantage of the opportunities.
Following user feedback we have updated the previously named risk register generator.
Talk to Us