The Adaptation Committee’s Independent Assessment of UK Climate
Risk sets out the priority climate change risks and opportunities
for the UK. The report draws on an extensive programme of
analysis, consultation and consideration by the Committee
involving over 450 people, 130 organisations and more than 1,500
pages of evidence and analysis.
In support of this advice report, we’ve created a dedicated
website www.ukclimaterisk.orgto host
all of the outputs from the UK Climate Risk Independent
Assessment (CCRA3), including:
Key findings
The Advice Report provides the Adaptation Committee’s statutory
advice to Governments on priorities for the forthcoming national
adaptation plans and wider action. It is informed by extensive
new evidence gathered for the accompanying Climate Change Risk
Assessment (CCRA3) Technical Report. More than 60 risks and
opportunities have been identified, fundamental to every aspect
of life in the UK covering our natural environment, our health,
our homes, the infrastructure on which we rely, and the economy.
- Alarmingly, this new evidence shows that the gap between the
level of risk we face and the level of adaptation underway has
widened. Adaptation action has failed to keep pace with the
worsening reality of climate risk.
- The UK has the capacity and the resources to respond
effectively to these risks, but it has not yet done so. Acting
now will be cheaper than waiting to deal with the consequences.
Government must lead that action.
- The Committee identifies eight risk areas that require the
most urgent attention in the next two years. They have been
selected on the basis of the urgency of additional action, the
gap in UK adaptation planning, the opportunity to integrate
adaptation into forthcoming policy commitments and the need to
avoid locking in poor planning, especially as we recover from the
COVID-19 pandemic.
- The Committee also reports on the full set of 61 risks and
opportunities. These must be considered in the next set of
national National Adaptation Plans, due from 2023.
- The Committee recommends ten principles for good adaptation
planning that should form the basis for the next round of
national adaptation plans. These are intended to bring adaptation
into mainstream consideration by Government and business.
