The third Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk from the Climate Change Committee has warned that a lack of action on climate adaptation is heightening the danger of financial and societal costs in the future, while the UK Green Building Council (GBC) argues that the UK needs an ambitious and detailed adaptation plan now.
… nearly 60% of the risks were given the highest possible urgency score, a staggering increase compared with the previous assessment…
pbctoday writes:
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) released its third Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk (CCRA3) in June, assessing 61 climatic risks and opportunities. These span across all domestic sectors, with a significant impact review on assets from the natural environment, the built environment and infrastructure.
Seemingly contradicting the domestic media atmosphere, nearly 60% of the risks were given the highest possible urgency score, a staggering increase compared with the previous assessment. The committee’s message is overwhelmingly clear: a decisive lack of action on climate adaptation is in fact increasing the country’s risk from climate change. If adaptation is not addressed adequately, and quickly, we will create far greater financial and societal costs for the future.
Adapting buildings to a hotter climate
Eight priority risk areas are identified within the assessment, one of which is the risks to human health, wellbeing and productivity from increased exposure to heat within our built environment….
What we need from the government
The CCC are the government’s key experts in climate issues, with a powerful mandate from Downing Street to advise the state through the incredibly complex task of mitigating and adapting to climate change. The fact that such a damning report came from an independent review and not from the opposing benches or dissenting activist groups, should at the very least humble this administration that is so keen to go green.
Adaptation has been coined the Cinderella of climate change by Baroness Brown, chair of the CCC Adaptation Committee, “still sitting in rags by the stove: under-resourced, underfunded and often ignored”. Boris Johnson was proud to proclaim last year’s landmark 10 Point Plan as a “global template” and the government is keen to utilise the upcoming COP26 event in November to brand itself as a world leader in climate action. However, if the UK truly wants to be a global climate role model it requires improvement, immediately.
This must include a detailed, ambitious and costed adaptation action plan, highlighting not only the financial costs, but also the numerous social and environmental benefits of accomplishing its protective transformation. This will no doubt be a smoother political matter thanks to the recent calls by G7 finance ministers for mandatory climate-related financial disclosures.
We must unlock investments to close what is known as the adaptation finance gap. Green infrastructure and nature-based solutions are key, but do not get the same attention as climate mitigation.
