Responding to Climate Change via Landscape Character Assessment

James, .P. & Gittins, .J.W. (2007) explains that; “Landscape is a multi-disciplinary subject requiring a complex mix of skills in order to interpret the landscape and to make sensible suggestions for its future.” Landscape Character Assessment is one of a growing number of tools which can be used in planning for sustainable development as it recognises the fundamental role played by farming and forestry and by different forms of development in fashioning the landscape. (Swanwick, .C. 2002). Swanwick, .C. (2002) suggests that; “People’s perceptions turn land into the concept of landscape and is not just about visual perception, but also how we hear, smell and feel our surroundings and memories or associations that they evoke.” Hulme, .M. et al, (2002) suggests that: “Evidence is growing that the UK climate is warming and we expect this trend to continue. Adaptation will be an essential part of the response to the threat of climate change.” Opdam, P. et al, (2009) indicates that; “These predictions suggest major changes in temperature, rainfall as well as in frequency and timing of extreme weather, all in varying degrees and patterns around the world and is likely to affect all types of land use as well as the behaviour of humans. More dramatic effects could include complete loss of entire landscapes through rising sea levels, whilst in other cases the change may be more slow and subtle. (Deanwood, .R. et al, 2003). This report aims to initially, assess the effectiveness of how the most advanced and current LCA incorporates climate change and to formulate conclusions and put forward suggestions for alternative approaches in which climate change affects can be calculated on landscape character in the future. A definitive conclusion is that presently climate change is not considered fully within current LCAs and even with the emergence of a potential worked example put forward to ensure climate change is accounted for fully, it still requires further input into formulating a more standardised methodology that has universal use across the country and potentially adapted for overseas use, in the future.Faculty of Science and Technolog