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Defra and the Devolved Administrations have appointed Professor Richard Dawson to the Adaptation Sub-Committee. Existing members Rosalyn Schofield and Ece Ozdemiroglu have been reappointed to their roles for a further three-year term.

The Adaptation Sub-Committee (ASC) is comprised of experts in the fields of climate change impacts, science, environmental economics, conservation, public health and business, and provides independent, expert advice on preparing for and adapting to climate change to UK and devolved governments and parliaments.

Whilst these appointments are not regulated by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments, they have been made in line with the guidance set out in the Ministerial Governance Code for Public Appointments. They will run from 31 January 2019 to 1 February 2022.

Professor Dawson will take on the role held by Professor Jim Hall who recently stood down after 10 years of service. Commenting on his appointment, Professor Dawson said:

Jim Hall taught me as a PhD student and has been a long term mentor. I am truly honoured to be appointed as his replacement on the Adaptation Committee. Over the last decade the Committee has set a very high standard for the rigour and quality of its work, establishing the UK as a world leader in climate change adaptation.

However, there is still important work to be done to monitor and manage the risks of climate change to the UK’s cities, rural communities, infrastructure and businesses.

Biographical details

Professor Richard Dawson

Richard Dawson is Professor of Earth Systems Engineering and Head of Water in the School of Engineering at Newcastle University. He holds a MEng degree in Civil Engineering and a PhD in flood risk management. Over the last two decades his research has focused on the analysis and management of climatic risks to civil engineering systems, including the development of systems modelling of risks to cities, catchments and infrastructure networks. Professor Dawson was lead author for the chapter on Infrastructure in the 2017 UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) evidence report.

Professor Dawson is currently a member of the National Infrastructure Commission’s Technical Expert Panel, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKRCIC). He holds editorial roles for the scientific journals Climatic Change, Flood Risk Management and Infrastructure Asset Management, and was a member of the Scientific Steering Committee of the IPCC’s 2018 Cities and Climate Change Conference.

Details of ASC members being reappointed:

Ece Ozdemiroglu

Ece Ozdemiroglu is an environmental economist and the founding director of eftec (Economics For the Environment Consultancy). She specialises in interpreting economic value evidence for natural capital, ecosystem services, cultural heritage, charitable sector and value of information. Her other roles include Economics lead of the Valuing Nature Programme, Convener of the British Standards Institute’s Committee on Assessing and Valuing Natural Capital, Member of the Natural Capital Initiative steering group, and Associate Editor of the Journal for Environmental Economics and Policy.

Rosalyn Schofield LLB

Rosalyn Schofield is a solicitor and a Director of Company Secretariat at Associated British Foods plc, where she has global responsibility for the environmental sustainability and impact of the business. Rosalyn also holds positions as Chair of the Audit Committee, and Trustee of Regent’s University London where she chairs the Audit and Risk Committee. She has previously worked as a Legal Director at JD Wetherspoon plc, and as a commercial property lawyer in private practice.

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. Adaptation Sub-Committee members receive £550 per day based on a time commitment of up to three days per month.

The Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change (ASC) is an advisory Non-Departmental Public Body created under the Climate Change Act (2008). The ASC is jointly sponsored by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the Northern Ireland Executive, the Scottish Government and the Welsh Government. Further information about the CCC is available here. The Board for the ASC comprises a Chairperson and five members.