MainDB: Working collectively to address the whisky industry's long-term risks

Title: Working collectively to address the whisky industry's long-term risks
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NWPGeographicRegion: Europe
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Adaptation element: Communication and outreach/awareness; Vulnerability assessment
Adaptation sector/theme: Agriculture; Food security; Water resources; Biodiversity
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Country: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
NWPDataSource: PSI
Description: The Scotch Whisky Association (SWA) is the trade association for the Scotch Whisky industry. Its aim is to promote, protect and represent the interests of the Scotch Whisky industry in Scotland and around the world. The Scotch Whisky Research Institute (SWRI) is also a membership organisation, providing a centre of scientific excellence dedicated to the needs of the distilled beverage industry.
 
SWA commissioned SWRI to deliver a scoping study to assess the risks of climate change to the sector and identify initial adaptation options. Following this, SWA held an industry workshop to raise awareness of climate change impacts and adaptation within the sector, share information and experience and generate ideas for how SWA and SWRI could work to build the adaptive capacity of the Scotch Whisky industry.
 
The following are a few of the climate risks identified in the research:
The supply and quality of cereals, especially barley, is likely to be impacted by changes in future precipitation, flooding, drought and plant disease.
The timing of heavy rainfall and the gradual disappearance of spring snow-melt could affect the quality and quantity of burn and reservoir water.
The traditional processes of malting, distilling and maturing whisky, which have evolved during a more or less stable climate over the last few hundred years, are temperature sensitive and will therefore be affected by changes in the Scottish climate. 
The research found that the Scotch Whisky industry, along with all process-based industries, faces potential risks from projected future changes in the Scottish and global climate. As an industry with a long-term focus, the sector is already collectively undertaking a range of adaptation actions to tackle the impact of climate change. Further steps could be taken to adapt practices, strategies and infrastructure. The main priority is to raise awareness of specific business risks and build capacity within the industry to enable individual companies to adapt successfully and include risks from climate change into their Business Risk registers.
Expected outcome: Scotch Whisky producers must look to the long term. By law, to be called Scotch, spirit has to mature for a minimum of 3 years in a warehouse in Scotland and most well known brands contain Scotch far older. The industry recognises the need to protect maturing stocks and ensure a sustainable supply of cereals and other supplies. The need to preserve traditional production practice is critical as, together with quality, it underpins the reputation of Scotch Whisky worldwide.
 
The industry saw the need to work collaboratively on this project as inter-company whisky trading allows hundreds of complex blends to be produced. To protect strong global brands, through the SWA, the industry saw an opportunity to ensure that the whole sector moved forward collectively to understand and act on climate change risks, to help avoid future negative impacts on the profitability of Scotch Whisky production.
Further information: Find the case study summary here: https://unfccc.int/files/adaptation/application/pdf/scotch_whisky_association.pdf

NWPGeographicScope: Local; National
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NWPInformationType: Case study
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NWPPartner: Scotch Whisky Association; Scotch Whisky Research Institute
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NWPReferences: UK CIP Business Cases: Scotch Whisky Industry: http://www.adaptationscotland.org.uk/12/52/295/Scotch-Whisky-Industry.aspx
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Created at 21/04/2016 11:45 by Roberto Felix
Last modified at 11/05/2022 01:57 by Nicholas Hamp-Adams
 
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