National assessment into UK climate change preparation published

The Adaptation Sub-Committee have published the first national assessment of how well prepared the UK is for climate change, and concludes that people must start preparing now.

Since the 1970s, average annual temperatures in the UK have risen by one degree Celsius, and Spring arrives 11 days earlier, which are likely to increase as a result of future climate change.

The Committee, who advise government on climate adaptation, found that action should be taken on the ground in five priority areas of land use planning, infrastructure, buildings, natural resources and emergency planning.

Land use planning is locating properties, infrastructure and green space strategically, infrastructure will be designing infrastructure with climate change in mind and buildings is designing and renovating homes and buildings so they can cope with rising temperatures and droughts/floods.

Natural resources is managing natural resources sustainably by using water more efficiently, setting up ecological networks and habitat bridges so that species can adapt and move as the climate changes and emergency planning is planning and risk management so that emergency services can better cope with natural disasters.

The UK stands to benefit from new economic opportunities if it plans for these now. UK businesses could benefit by developing products and services that will be required in the retrofit of old buildings and to improve the resilience of supply chains.

Chair of the Adaptation Sub-Committee on Climate Change, Lord John Krebs: "The UK must start acting now to prepare for climate change. If we wait, it will be too late. It is not necessarily about spending more, but about spending smart and investing to save. The time has come to move from talking to acting."

Further information:
Adaptation Sub-Committee