MAJOR CLIMATE ADAPTATION REPORT FROM THE CCC REQUIRES ACTION NOT WORDS.

The CCC published a major report on the 16th of June assessing the UK’s exposure to hundreds of different climate-related risks. Some 60% of the risks assessed are classed as requiring the highest level of urgency, up from 36% at the last assessment in 2016. 
With the UK set for warmer, dryer summers and warmer, wetter winters, a number of risks will arise and could potentially result in a damage bill of at least £1 billion, this is likely to be three times higher in the 2080s than in the 2010s, according to the report.

The CCC is warning that these risks are potentially irreversible. In other words, the UK’s efforts to reduce emissions to net-zero by 2050 will have only a minimal impact in reducing the number of risks and their magnitude. The risks from climate change need to be addressed regardless of achieving net-zero emissions to prevent a national catastrophe from accruing.

Climate change continues to affect the natural environment across England. A different framework and a larger number of risks have been included in the CCRA3 Technical Report than in the previous assessment. There is also a limited amount of new evidence for some risks making it difficult to assess their magnitude in many cases, especially across the different UK countries. The report identifies specific areas where further action is felt to be needed most urgently, based on the available evidence, and it discusses the benefits of taking further action.

To read the full report from Climate Change Committee: