The Climate Change Committee has today published it's progress report on the Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3). The report delivers a clear and urgent message: the UK is not adequately prepared for the increasing risks posed by climate change.
Bev Cornaby, Director, UK Corporate Leaders Group, said:
"The CCC's progress report on adaptation to climate change makes for sobering reading. It makes clear that the UK is not prepared for the impacts of climate change, which risk our health, well-being and economic prosperity. More worryingly, government progress on adaptation has stalled or reversed in recent years, even as the effects of climate change become clearer.
"CLG UK welcomes the recommendations from the CCC, especially the need to improve objectives and targets. While business is responding to the commercial imperative to improve climate resilience across operations and supply chains, the interconnected nature of climate adaptation, with cascading and hard to predict risks and uncertainty over roles and responsibilities is slowing down delivery. The private sector can deliver more, including innovation, investment and leadership, with clear goals, joined up policy and better communication and engagement from government."
Anne Chassagnette, Chief Sustainability Officer, Johnson Matthey, and CLG UK Co-Chair, said:
“Climate adaptation and resilience are not just environmental imperatives, they are business essentials which guide investment decisions and economic performance. We welcome the Climate Change Committee’s report and recommendations, which can help improve the national approach to climate resilience and thereby secure a sustainable, long term growth of the private sector."
Despite some signs of improved planning, the CCC finds that adaptation delivery across sectors remains insufficient. The report finds that the Government is not yet delivering on its promise to improve the UK’s climate resilience. The CCC outlines four priority actions: setting clear and measurable adaptation objectives, improving coordination across government, integrating resilience into all relevant policies and investments, and establishing robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks. This report highlights the critical need for a more systematic and ambitious response to the climate risks that the communities and businesses are already facing across the UK.