Climate Change Committee slams government's adaptation plans
Responding the Climate Change Committee’s report to Parliament on progress in adapting to climate change, which says few advances have been made in preparing the country for escalating climate impacts such as extreme weather, Friends of the Earth climate campaigner, Alison Dilworth, said:
“The government’s climate adaptation plans are clearly not fit for purpose.
“Ministers have pledged to strengthen their approach to climate adaptation, but they must go much further than the current weak set of policies.
“We urgently need an ambitious plan that helps safeguard our homes and communities now and for the future, and gives proper protection to those most at risk from the increasingly frequent floods, wildfires, storms and heatwaves that climate change is causing. Today’s report couldn’t be clearer that the government must urgently step up if we’re to save lives and shield our economy from harm in years to come.”
Friends of the Earth is calling on the government to produce a revised National Adaptation Programme (NAP) which includes:
• Specific and measurable adaptation objectives
• Assessments that show the policies and plans in the package will actually deliver their intended impact
• Due consideration of the impact of climate change on marginalised groups - such as older and disabled people, and those living in geographically vulnerable areas - and include them in the policy formation
ENDS
Notes to editors:
In December the government stated it is reviewing its approach to climate adaptation. Ministers stated they were “committed to strengthening the nation’s resilience, including in our approach to managing climate risks to the UK, and we are considering a range of options to achieve this. This includes further work to assess and strengthen the framework of objectives and delivery across government and on improving the evidence base for action to increase our climate resilience.” (Accelerating to Net Zero: responding to the CCC progress report and delivering the Clean Energy Superpower Mission,17 December 2024)