Policy paper

Climate change adaptation: policy information

Updated 11 August 2022

Our climate is changing and will continue to do so as a result of global greenhouse gas emissions. Despite efforts to reduce emissions, the effects will have impacts for years to come.

Preparing for a changing climate, or climate adaptation, will help the UK to reduce negative consequences of climate change and take advantage of new opportunities. Building the UK’s preparedness and resilience to climate change impacts is a cost-effective and essential way to protect our people, economy and environment.

1. Background and legislation

The Climate Change Act 2008 sets out a policy framework to reduce domestic emissions and ensure the UK adapts to climate change. This includes commitments to produce a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment to identify risks, followed by a National Adaptation Programme to address those risks every five years.

Defra is the lead department for domestic climate adaptation, but actions and policies are implemented across government. Adaptation is also embedded in other key government commitments such as the 25 Year Environment Plan.

2. Action

2.1 Understanding the risks: UK Climate Change Risk Assessment

The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) sets out the risks and opportunities facing the UK from climate change. It provides the evidence base to inform National Adaptation Programmes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Adaptation Committee of the Climate Change Committee (CCC) advises the government on the CCRA. The CCC produces a Climate Risk Independent Assessment, setting out the risks facing the UK and providing advice to government. The CCC published the latest independent assessment of climate risk in 2021. The government will assess and respond to this advice by publishing the next CCRA in 2022.

2.2 Preparing for climate change: National Adaptation Programme

The National Adaptation Programme (NAP) sets out the actions that government and others will take to adapt to the challenges of climate change in England over a five-year period. The second NAP period runs from 2018 to 2023, and covers:

• the natural environment
• infrastructure
• people and the built environment
• business and industry
• local government sectors

2.3 Adapting essential services and infrastructure: Adaptation Reporting Power

We need to make sure that essential services and infrastructure, such as energy supplies or railways, are prepared for climate change. Under the Adaptation Reporting Power (ARP), we’ve invited infrastructure providers and public bodies to report on their preparedness for climate change risks.

You can read the individual adaptation reports from the third round of reporting, along with an evaluation of this round.

2.4 Adaptation at international level

As part of the UK’s Adaptation Communication to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change we have set out what the UK is doing to prepare for the effects of climate change at home and to support those facing impacts overseas.

The Adaptation Action Coalition aims to support action to adapt and build resilience to the impacts of climate change. This was developed by the UK in partnership with Egypt, Bangladesh, Malawi, the Netherlands, Saint Lucia and the United Nations Development Programme.

At COP26, increasing ambition on adaptation, resilience and loss and damage will be a priority. As one of the core goals of our COP26 Presidency, we will call on countries to increase action on adaptation and reduce loss and damage.

3. Who we’re working with

Adapting to climate change is a government wide issue and should be considered in all relevant policies. To support this, Defra works with a wide range of government departments and other partners to prepare the country for climate change.

Business, local government, civil society and communities also have important roles to play in ensuring we are ready for a changing climate.

3.1 The Climate Change Committee

The Climate Change Committee (CCC), is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. Its purpose is to advise government on emissions targets and report to Parliament on progress made in reducing emissions and preparing for climate change. Read the government’s response to CCC progress reports.

3.2 The Adaptation Sub-Committee

The Adaptation Sub-Committee, also referred to as the Adaptation Committee, is part of the CCC, and supports in advising and reporting on adaptation progress. The committee is made up of experts from the fields of climate change, science and economics.

3.3 Local Adaptation Advisory Panel

The Local Adaptation Advisory Panel (LAAP) acts as a forum for discussion on climate change adaptation between local government, central government and arms-length delivery bodies.

Defra, in partnership with the LAAP and the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT), published guidance for local government on preparing for a changing climate.

4. Climate evidence, tools and research

The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment is the main form of evidence we use to inform our policies and actions. The latest evidence is available on the UK Climate Risk website. See below for other evidence, tools and research to help inform understanding and decision making on climate change risk.

4.1 UK Climate Projections 2018

The Met Office Hadley Centre, in partnership with Defra, BEIS, the devolved administrations and the Environment Agency published the latest UK Climate Projections in 2018. The latest projections provide the most up-to-date assessment of how the UK climate may change in the future.

The findings show an increased chance of warmer, wetter winters; hotter, drier summers; more extreme weather events and rising sea levels.

4.2 Accounting for the effects of climate change: Green Book supplementary guidance

Accounting for the Effects of Climate Change is supplementary Green Book guidance. It supports the appraisal of climate risks and the changing of policies, programmes and projects to include improved resilience to climate change impacts and flexibility in decision making.

4.3 UK Climate Resilience Programme

The UK Climate Resilience Programme is jointly led by UKRI and the Met Office and funded by the Strategic Priorities Fund. By funding innovative research, the programme aims to fill evidence gaps and build capability within three main research themes:

• characterising and quantifying climate-related risks
• managing climate-related risks through adaptation
• co-producing climate services