Our built environment – including our cities – will need to adapt to a rapidly heating environment as climate change takes hold later this century, the government’s independent Climate Change Committee has warned.
In a report, A Well-Adapted UK, it has set out what it describes as “a comprehensive package of solutions to address the growing impacts of climate change affecting every aspect of life in the UK”.
The UK’s three biggest climate risks will be increased heat, flooding and drought, it said.
“We are already seeing disruption today and without action these risks will escalate. By 2050, 92% of homes are likely to overheat, peak river flows will be up to 45% higher and water supply shortfalls could exceed five billion litres per day. The cost of inaction is far greater than the cost of acting now,” it said.
In all, its proposals would require investment of around £11bn a year, it added, split broadly evenly between public and private funding.
Among eight key areas recommended for government action, it has suggested more invest in cooling technologies within the built environment, including air conditioning, heat pumps and more green shading of public spaces.
“Government should commit to a national maximum temperature for workplaces to protect workers’ safety and incentivise the deployment of cooling,” it added.
Alongside this, there will need to be more and longer-term investment in flood defences, and natural solutions such as wetlands.
“Annual flood risk investment must rise to around £1.6-£2.2 billion each year across the UK to prevent risks increasing further. Government should also manage development in flood-prone areas carefully, avoiding new construction where risks are not adequately reduced,” the committee recommended.
Transport, energy and telecommunications systems must be designed and maintained to operate safely under future climate conditions, it also argued.
“Government and regulators must take a more structured approach to managing dependencies between infrastructure systems to avoid widespread disruption,” the report said.
Baroness Brown, chair of the Adaptation Committee, said: “Our lives, our landscapes and our homes are under increasing pressure from the changing climate. But we are not powerless. In an increasingly unstable world, being well adapted to climate change is fundamental to securing our food, energy and economic security.
“The solutions already exist, and proven technologies are available now to help the UK adapt effectively. With the right decisions and actions, we can protect the people and the places we love.
“The public want to see change and the government now has an opportunity to step up and protect our way of life,” she added.
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