This study considered the vulnerability of the natural environment to climate change in the South East Northumberland Coastal Plain NCA. This area encompasses the low lying plain of the Northumberland coalfield, the coastline, and extensive urban and industrial areas of Newcastle in the south. The area is rich in wildlife, supporting a wide range of important coastal, wetland, woodland and grassland habitats.
The vulnerability of the natural environment in the South East Northumberland Coastal Plain NCA was assessed by reviewing how it is exposed to changes in climatic conditions, how sensitive it is to those changes (including its ability to adapt, which can be influenced by its current condition) and how much scope there is for conservation management to promote adaptation. This assessment of vulnerability is based on the best available scientific knowledge of how climate change might affect the natural environment and discussions with local experts. The assessment considered both landscape assets (biodiversity, heritage, soils and geology) and its ecosystem service functions.