Climate Adaptation Reporting

Climate adaptation in the telecommunications sector 

ISPA ARP4 report

The effects of climate change, bringing increased frequency and intensity of storms, flooding, drought and other climatic factors is recognised as a key threat to critical national infrastructure by the UK Government. Therefore, every five years the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) requests infrastructure providers and bodies with functions ‘of a public nature’ to report on how they are managing and adapting to manage climate risk, under the Climate Change Act (2008). 

This statutory power, known as the Adaptation Reporting Power (ARP), helps the Government assess both the risks and strengths of the various infrastructure sectors in the UK – including telecommunications, which plays a vital role in the UK’s economy and society; its resilience to climate change is crucial. 

As such, for the first time, ISPA, in collaboration with INCA, prepared and submitted a sectoral overview report under the fourth round of the ARP (ARP4), providing an overview of the physical, climate-related risks impacting the telecommunications (broadband) sector, current regulations influencing the resilience of networks, and the adaptive measures undertaken by the sector to prepare for the increasing frequency and severity of extreme conditions as a result of our changing climate. 

Our aim for this report was to broaden the scope of evidence gathered, by including valuable insights from both large and smaller network operators in order to foster a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges and progress within the diverse landscape of the UK telecoms sector. You can read the full report HERE, and please get in touch with any questions.