WARNING - By their nature, text files cannot include scanned images and tables. The process of converting documents to text only, can cause formatting changes and misinterpretation of the contents can sometimes result. Wherever possible you should refer to the pdf version of this document. CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY Paper 3 20/03/09 CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY FOR DECISION Title: Clim-ATIC Project Prepared by: Fiona Chalmers, Senior Land Management Officer Purpose To seek the Board’s approval to contribute sums detailed below to the Clim- ATIC project in 2008/09, 2009/10 and 2010/11 Recommendations The Board is asked to: a) Approve the following from 2008/09 Operation Plan; i. £ 20,000 contribution to overall project ii. £10,000 contribution to Woodfuel Demonstration Project b) Approve a £20,000 pa contribution to overall project for 2009/10 and 2010/11 subject to Board approval of the Operational Plan for these years. Executive Summary 1. The CNPA are partners in the NPP Clim-ATIC project in Scotland and have agreed in principle that an amount to be contributed by the CNPA, subject to Board approval. This sum is £20,000 per annum for 3 years (2008/9, 2009/10 and 2010/11) and will lever in additional funds and resources to the National Park. 2. In addition, a further one off payment of £10,000 is requested for 2008/09 to contribute to the Woodfuel Demonstration Project budget which includes project management in the current year and also the added output and co-ordination with the Cairngorms Woodfuel Action Plan. 3. Full details of the project are in the attached Expenditure Justification Form. PAGE 2 Fiona Chalmers February 2009 fionachalmers@cairngorms.co.uk PAGE 3 CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY EXPENDITURE JUSTIFICATION 1. Title Clim-ATIC Project: Climate Change - Adapting to The Impacts, by Communities in Northern Peripheral Regions 2. Expenditure Category Operational Plan 6.2 Code 72102000 Project Y (goal description) 1b Green Farms and Sustainable Land Management Grant Core or Project spend Code Consultancy Is this spend to be funded from an existing budget line, existing line with additional funds or is it a totally new spend? £ 20,000 pa for 08/09, 09/10, 10/11 Plus £10,000 Existing budget 08 /0 9 £ Additional budget £ New budget delete as appropriate 3. Description .. Brief overview of project/activity including cost summary .. Specific elements for which support is sought (if not whole project/activity) ‘Clim-ATIC’ is a 2.3 million Euro multi-partner strategic project part-funded through the European Commission’s Northern Periphery Programme (NPP). The project will explore the potential for rural peripheral communities to adapt to the likely direct and indirect impacts of all aspects of climate change. Community stakeholders from five regions across the Northern Periphery will work in partnership with regional public sector and academic partners to build local adaptation capacity and deliver local adaptation activities that will provide local economic and social advantages, and new knowledge from the practical evaluation of the opportunities for, and barriers to, the specific activities carried out to adapt to climate change PAGE 4 impacts. Clim-ATIC will focus on four interconnected adaptation priority themes for the Northern Periphery (listed below) and will maximise the establishment of trans-national networks: 1. sustainable transport 2. secure, local and sustainable energy 3. tourism 4. risk and response management Clim-ATIC is a will develop, and create a sustainable, self-financing service to disseminate, knowledge to support the sustainability of rural communities across the Northern Periphery, enabling them to adapt to likely direct and indirect impacts of climate change. The total project budget is 2,348,138.53 Euro, of which 1,317,143.38 Euro has been awarded through the ERDF Northern Periphery Programme (NPP). Clim-ATIC activities will take place in five regions: Finland, Greenland, Norway, Scotland and Sweden, with comparable conditions, to develop and implement a multi-partner project. Public sector and academic institutions project partners will engage with communities, local and regional administrations, local businesses, and entrepreneurs to develop evidence-based community adaptation strategies with SMART objectives, and implement a number of community- based adaptation projects. The aim is to explore the potential for different community sectors to develop adaptation capacity, and deliver real adaptations under priority themes for the Northern Periphery, providing local economic and social advantages. Within Scotland, the project budget is approximately £539,000 (subject to currency fluctuation with the Euro). The Scottish regional budget is made up of £120,000 regional cash funding, £42,000 in kind staff time, £242,000 NPP funding, and £135,000 contribution from other regions to cover project management costs (a role being undertaken by the UHI Millennium Institute). The Cairngorms National Park is a key participating region in the project, as it will have three community based adaptation demonstration projects being funded, managed and implemented over 2009-2010. These are; 1. Electric Vehicle pilot project with Badenoch and Strathspey Community Transport Company 2. Cairngorms Woodfuel Promotion and Awareness Project (part of the Woodfuel Action Plan) PAGE 5 3. ‘Stay and Play’ – A Sustainable Tourism Project seeking alternative activities to the winter sports market. In addition to the demonstration projects there will be the development of a community adaptation strategy by young people across the whole park area using film as a media with a particular focus on the themes of transport, energy and tourism. The Cairngorms National Park Authority will play a key role in the coordination of project activities in the park area and staff are currently engaged in the development of these projects and their time will count as a contribution in kind and so be able to lever more funds from the Northern Periphery Programme. The CNPA are partners in the NPP Clim-ATIC project in Scotland and have agreed in principle that an amount to be contributed by the CNPA, subject to Board approval. This sum is £20,000 per annum for 3 years (2008/9, 2009/10 and 2010/11). This will lever in additional funds and resources to the National Park. In addition, approval for a further one off payment of £10,000 is requested for 2008/09 to contribute to the woodfuel demonstration project budget which includes project management in the current year and also the added output and co-ordination with the Cairngorms Woodfuel Action Plan. 4. Rationale and Strategic Fit .. Objectives/intended beneficiaries .. Evidence of need and demand .. Fit with National Park Plan/Corporate Plan/other relevant strategies .. Linkages to other activities/projects Climate change will impact on all users of the National Park. It will particularly affect the tourism sector, land management activities, transport and energy services and risk management planning. Clim-ATIC will provide these sectors with a useful set of scenarios for a future climate and work with them to explore the direct and indirect impacts of the climate change on these sectors. There is already concern about the impact of climate change on the skiing industry in the national park, and an integrated approach across all sectors and park wide will strengthen reliance in the face of uncertainty. Park plan 3.3 Managing the Park in a Changing Environment “Management and objectives will need to adapt through time in response to global, national and regional trends”. Building on Experience - people will come together to consider how best to PAGE 6 care for and manage climate change in this special area GUIDING PRINCIPLES: 1. Sustainable Development – ‘ensure (the park) can continue to be enjoyed by future Generations’ by ‘adapting to the effects of current change’ 3. People Participating in the Park - Clim-ATIC will involve people within and outside the Park to be actively involved in shaping the National Park and its management. The project will be ‘working with young people to engage them in shaping the future of the Park’. 4. Managing Change – Clim-ATIC will ensure the Park is ‘informed by the best available information to identify and effect positive change and prepare for and mitigate the potential negative consequences of change’ 5. Adding Value - As a partner in an international project the park will be learning from others at home and abroad by sharing information, knowledge and experience to establish best practice Priorities For Action: Integrating Public Support for Land Management The project will support land managers in bringing together partners and levering in new funds that will help develop new markets for timber and wood and opportunities for processing through increased use of woodfuel in the National Park. It will also deliver sustainable land management public benefits through adaptation to climate change and opportunity for bespoke research using the latest Climate Change modelling system (UKCIP08) Raising Awareness and Understanding of the Park More people across Scotland and abroad will be more aware of the National Park Residents and visitors will further explore and appreciate the special qualities of the Park and understand more about their special management needs in the face of possible climate change impacts. The 3 demonstration projects and the workshops and films focusing on developing adaptation strategies will create opportunities for people to become practically involved Making Tourism and Business More Affordable and Sustainable Clim-ATIC will enable tourism businesses to better understand the threats and opportunities that climate change will bring to the national park and encourage positive adaptation. Development of renewable heat markets will give confidence and encourage land management and associated businesses to grow and be more sustainable. PAGE 7 5. Option Analysis .. Are there other ways in which the above objectives could be achieved? .. If so, why is this the preferred option? Participation of the CNPA as a partner in Clim-ATIC will not only provide multiple learning benefits and allow informed decision making by Park stakeholders, but the financial support by the CNPA into park based projects via the EU Northern Periphery Programme project Clim-ATIC offers a 150% match funding investment back into the National Park. 6. Risk Assessment .. Are there risks to the CNPA in funding this project/activity? .. Are there risks in the project/activity not being delivered to required timescale/quality? .. Comment on the likelihood of such risks occurring, their potential impact, and (where appropriate) any action that would be taken to mitigate the risks. The project is part of a large NPP international project involving 5 countries and multiple partners. The activities in Scotland will be managed by the UHI Millennium institute who are also acting as lead partner for the whole project. They have experience in NPP projects and can draw on a wide network of available skills for ensuring the project meats its objectives in Scotland and as a whole. The project success however relies on the participation of National Park staff as well as other park stakeholders to ensure effective delivery, and thus there are risks if such persons can dedicate sufficient time to the project. However as this project offers opportunities to align with work already programmed and so it makes best use of CNPA staff resources and is not an additional burden. Furthermore the £36,400 in-kind staff time over 3 years will also lever in additional funds through this project. 7. Costs and Funding .. Detail the financial costs of the project/activity .. Detail the sources of funding .. Justification also needs to be given if the CNPA is the major funder .. Detail any non-monetary costs to the CNPA (such as Member or staff input) Summary of Scotland's total regional budget: Types of expenditure (in Euro) 1. Staffing costs including social contributions 266,811.23 2. Travel and accommodation, Meetings 55,440.00 PAGE 8 3. External experts 46,130.00 4. Local office costs (direct costs) 4,340.14 5. Local office costs (distributed by flat rate) 34,289.06 6. Promotion / publications, Seminars / conferences 22,050.00 7. Equipment and supplies 101,710.00 8. Other (breakdown and specify exactly) 8,400.00 Total eligible project cost £ 539,170.44 Element of Budget directly allocated to project activities in the National Park: • 3 demonstration projects - £87,500 • 1 community adaptation capacity building process leading to adaptation strategy - £12,750 Other costs cover project management, travel, evaluation, dissemination and communication, and project activities in Glen Urquhart. Original agreed CNPA financial contributions to Clim-ATIC: £60,000 cash and £36,400 in kind staff time over 3 years 2007/8 to 2010/11. An additional £10,000 cash contribution by the CNPA for 2008/9 will allow the project to take advantage of the current weak Euro exchange rate and match this £10,000 with an additional £15,000 NPP funding that can be put directly into the Woodfuel Demonstration Project in the National Park. 8. Funding conditions .. Detail the project specific conditions that need to be included in any contract for services or grant offer letter in order that CNPA obtains the intended outcomes and Value for Money .. In the case of grant offers, our Financial Memorandum requires that SEERAD agree these conditions in advance of the grant offer being made The grant offer letter from CNPA will refer to the conditions in the Grant Letter from the NPP received by UHI at the end of January 2009. 9. Deliverables/ Impact Assessment .. What end products/outputs will be delivered? .. How will success be measured? .. How will the project be monitored and what will be the feedback to the CNPA? The Clim-ATIC project will have a number of key deliverables for the Park. There are 3 pilot demonstration projects that will be funded and managed PAGE 9 by Clim-ATIC. These are; 1. A Woodfuel Awareness, Promotion and Training programme for 2009 and 2010. This will target the domestic markets, local suppliers and installers of heating systems to encourage the use of wood fuel and boilers. 2. A ‘stay and Play’ pilot project using Bluetooth technology to offer alternative tourism activities to skiers when weather conditions are not conducive to skiing. 3. The trial of the use of a community shared and used electric vehicle in the National Park in partnership with Badenoch and Strathspey Community Transport Company The Clim-ATIC project will also encourage the learning from a number of community capacity building processes; 1. Working with 7 primary schools throughout the park to explore and discover the impacts of climate change on 7 different aspects of the park. Each school with produce a short film. 2. The films will be used to encourage the tourism business sector to identify specific impacts and adaptation opportunities, with transnational input from tourism destination areas (ski areas) in Finland, Sweden Norway and Greenland. An evaluation framework will be put in place for all activities as part of the strict reporting requirements of the NPP. The CNPA will have access to all reporting documents. 10. Value for Money .. In view of the costs, do the deliverables appear to offer value for money? (consider cost of comparable projects, where available). The project offers a leverage of 150% from the EU on all financial support offered by the Park both in cash and as in kind staff time. The majority of this additional funding will be directly fed back into the park via the demonstration projects and the learning processes form them. A portion of the levered funding will go towards transnational project management by the UHI Millennium Institute. 11. Exit or Continuation Arrangements (where applicable) .. If this is not a discrete, time-limited, project or piece of work, what are the exit/continuation arrangements for when CNPA support ceases? This is a time limited project and has an end date of 28th February 2011. PAGE 10 12. Additionality .. Does this work/project substitute for or duplicate work being carried out or proposed by others? .. What would be the effects of the CNPA not supporting the project? Would it proceed without CNPA support? The Clim-ATIC project carried out a feasibility study during its planning in 2007 to ensure that duplicate work or projects were, and had not been carried out. The CNPA are now a key component of the Clim-ATIC project in Scotland. Without the commitment given and interest shown during the planning of the project in 2007 the project would have had to look for support from other areas/organisations of Scotland and would not have been successful in finding the level of support and commitment shown by the CNPA in supporting adaptation capacity building, nor would these NPP funds been allocated to benefit the National Park. 13. Stakeholder Support .. Have the organisations and/or communities that would have an interest in this work/project been involved, and are they supportive? .. If supporter are also not funders an explanation may be required. There was significant national and regional stakeholder support and involvement in the planning of the project during 2007 through a number of meetings and workshops. There continues to be a strong objective for the project to ensure that national and regional stakeholders not directly involved in the project are able to take lessons from it and the project outcomes can influence policy making to allow a greater ability for communities to adapt to climate change. 14. Recommendation 1. That the following be approved for 2008/09 Operation Plan; a. £ 20,000 pa contribution to overall project b. £10,000 contribution to Woodfuel Demonstration Project 2. That approval being given for £20,000 pa contribution to overall project for 2009/10 and 2010/11 subject to Board approval of the Operational Plan for these years. Name: Fiona Chalmers Signature: Date: February 10th 2009 PAGE 11 15. Decision to Approve or Reject Head of Group Name: Signature: Date: Chief Executive Name: Signature: Date: Board Name: Signature: Date: Board Not applicable – below approval limits Name: Signature: Date: Scottish Government Not applicable – below approval limits Name: Signature: Date: