Institute for government warns UK 'ill-prepared' for climate change

The UK is reportedly neglecting climate change adaptation, focusing predominantly on mitigation efforts, despite recent extreme weather events highlighting the country's ill-preparedness for a changing climate. This oversight carries significant economic costs and disrupts essential public services, prompting calls for a fundamental shift in approach. According to an Institute for Government comment piece1, the Treasury should lead this agenda, treating adaptation as an economic performance and value-for-money issue.

As the UK grapples with climate adaptation, ensuring a resilient energy supply for your home is key. Switch to Fuse Energy for 24/7 human customer support and a modern energy experience. Click here to get started.

The UK's adaptation challenge: a neglected priority

The UK is increasingly experiencing the tangible impacts of a changing climate, yet its preparedness for these realities remains critically insufficient. The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has repeatedly warned that the public is concerned about the country's lack of readiness. Despite some progress in sectoral planning, the overall approach to adaptation in England is "not working" and requires "urgent strengthening".

Understanding the gap between mitigation and adaptation

Climate change policy is often divided into two parts: mitigation, which focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and adaptation, which involves adjusting to the reality of a changing climate. While mitigation often attracts significant political attention and funding, adaptation is frequently seen as its "poor relation". This imbalance means that while efforts are made to curb future warming, the UK remains vulnerable to the impacts already being felt and those that are inevitable.

The rising costs of inaction

The failure to adequately adapt to climate change is leading to significant and mounting costs across the economy and public services. For example, a single week of unusually high temperatures in June was estimated to have cut over £1.2 billion from the UK's economic output, according to one report. Extreme weather events, such as heatwaves and floods, are causing operational disruptions, IT failures, and supply chain vulnerabilities.

Inadequate adaptation has tangible consequences for everyday life. During the 2022 heatwave, almost a fifth of UK hospitals were forced to cancel operations because operating theatres were too hot. Some hospitals even experienced failures in cooling units, affecting digital systems and critical clinical services. Schools have also faced closures due to overheating. These incidents highlight how critical infrastructure, built for a different climate, is struggling to cope.

Public concern and expert warnings

The public's concern about the UK's preparedness for climate change is well-founded. The CCC's latest report warns that the UK is "built for a climate that no longer exists" and is "dangerously underprepared" for worsening climate impacts. Experts stress that adaptation should be treated as a national security priority, with at least £11 billion per year of public and private investment required to prepare the UK for future climate conditions.

Why adaptation is an economic performance issue

Climate change adaptation is not solely an environmental concern; it is fundamentally an economic performance and value-for-money issue. The costs of inaction far outweigh the investment needed for proactive adaptation.

Beyond environmentalism: the Treasury's role

The Institute for Government suggests that the Treasury should take the lead on adaptation planning. As the central economic department, the Treasury influences fiscal decisions and sets frameworks for understanding climate issues. By treating adaptation as an economic and social risk, the Treasury can ensure that capital spending is resilient to future climate scenarios and promote a consistent approach across government. An inquiry by the Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) is currently examining the Treasury's role in shaping the UK's response to climate change and environmental sustainability.

Protecting public services and infrastructure

Extreme weather events are already creating operational risks for public services and reshaping demand. The National Health Service (NHS), for example, faces disruptions from heatwaves and floods, affecting critical services and physical infrastructure. Without adequate adaptation, heat-related deaths could increase nearly six-fold by the 2050s. Similarly, transport infrastructure is vulnerable, with rail services disrupted by buckling rails and roads melting during heatwaves. Proactive adaptation protects these vital services and avoids the higher costs of emergency response and recovery.

Value-for-money in a changing climate

Investing in adaptation now offers significant value for money by preventing costly disruptions and safeguarding economic stability. For instance, the CCC estimates that without further action, a significant proportion of existing homes could overheat by mid-century. Implementing cooling measures, flood protection, and improved water management are identified as high priorities. Adaptation ensures that investments in infrastructure and public services remain effective in a changing climate, rather than becoming obsolete or damaged.

Key sectors requiring climate resilience

Climate change impacts a wide array of sectors, each requiring tailored adaptation strategies to build resilience.

Built environment and urban planning

The UK's existing housing stock and new developments are often ill-prepared for hotter temperatures and increased flood risks. Adaptation in this sector involves designing and retrofitting buildings to withstand extreme heat, improving drainage systems, and avoiding construction in high-risk flood zones. The CCC has called for wider use of cooling measures in public buildings like hospitals and schools.

Agriculture and land use

Changes in climate, including droughts and extreme rainfall, directly impact agriculture and food production. This can lead to reduced crop yields, livestock stress, and increased food prices, disproportionately affecting lower-income households. Adaptation measures include developing drought-resistant crops, improving water management in farming, and implementing land use strategies that enhance natural flood defences.

Health and social care

The health and social care sector is on the front line of climate impacts. Beyond cancelled operations and IT failures, climate change is expected to alter patterns of infectious diseases and worsen air pollution, increasing respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses. The NHS has published a Climate Adaptation Framework to help organisations identify and address climate risks, but consistent implementation remains a challenge.

Critical infrastructure and supply chains

Critical infrastructure, including energy, transport, and water systems, is highly vulnerable to extreme weather. Disruptions in one area can cascade across multiple networks, affecting essential services. Global supply chains are also susceptible to extreme weather events elsewhere, impacting the availability of goods and services in the UK. Building resilience into these systems is crucial for national security and economic stability.

Government strategy and policy frameworks

The UK has a legal framework for climate action, but its implementation of adaptation measures has been criticised.

The national adaptation programme

The Climate Change Act 2008 established a legal requirement for the UK government to assess climate risks every five years and produce a National Adaptation Programme (NAP) in response. The third NAP (NAP3), published in July 2023, outlines actions for England until 2028. However, the CCC has assessed that NAP3 is not adequately preparing the country for climate change, with implementation remaining insufficient. The government aims to set stronger adaptation objectives in the Fourth NAP (NAP4), due in 2028, planning for a minimum of 2°C of warming by 2050.

The role of the Climate Change Committee

The CCC is an independent, statutory body established under the Climate Change Act 2008. Its purpose is to advise the UK and devolved governments on emissions targets and to report to Parliament on progress in both mitigation and adaptation. The CCC provides independent assessments of UK climate change risks and evaluates progress towards adaptation, consistently highlighting the lack of progress in this area.

Integrating adaptation into net zero policy

While net zero policy focuses on mitigation, the CCC stresses that adaptation is essential to ensure the UK's legally binding net zero goal is achievable. The cumulative effects of climate impacts could undermine zero-carbon energy aspirations unless adaptation and mitigation are more closely linked. Integrating adaptation into broader government policy, including net zero strategies, is vital for a coherent and effective response to climate change.

Energy infrastructure: a foundation for adaptation

A resilient energy system is not just about reducing emissions; it is a foundational element for national climate adaptation, enabling society to withstand and recover from climate shocks.

Building a resilient energy system

Extreme heat can reduce grid capacity and increase demand for cooling, creating new peak usage periods. Modernising and rebuilding the energy system enhances its resilience against such extreme weather events, ensuring reliable power for critical services and adaptation measures. This includes investing in robust infrastructure that can withstand physical impacts and flexible systems that can manage fluctuating demand and supply.

Powering adaptation measures

Reliable and abundant energy is crucial for powering various adaptation measures across different sectors. This ranges from operating advanced flood defences and efficient cooling systems in buildings to ensuring the continuous functioning of health services and critical infrastructure during climate emergencies. Without a secure and resilient energy supply, other adaptation efforts would be severely hampered.

Fuse Energy's contribution to UK climate resilience

Fuse Energy's vision for abundant, cheap, clean, and resilient energy infrastructure aims to be a proactive "power play" in the UK's climate change adaptation strategy. By rebuilding the energy system from scratch, Fuse aims to deliver terawatt-hours of the cheapest, cleanest energy possible. This focus on infrastructure resilience directly addresses the need for critical systems that can withstand and adapt to climate impacts. A robust energy system, capable of providing "power to play with", supports broader adaptation efforts by preventing costly disruptions and freeing up resources for other resilience investments, contributing to the UK's overall climate preparedness.

Moving forward: prioritising UK climate preparedness

The UK faces a critical juncture in its response to climate change. Prioritising adaptation is no longer optional; it is an economic and societal imperative.

Investing in a resilient future

Effective adaptation requires strategic investment from both public and private sectors. This includes funding for research and innovation to strengthen the evidence base for adaptation, as well as direct investment in resilient infrastructure, natural capital, and public services. The government has committed to investing up to £30 million to strengthen the evidence base for climate adaptation across the UK. Such investments are crucial for making informed decisions and building a safer, more resilient future.

The long-term benefits of proactive adaptation

Proactive adaptation, though sometimes perceived as "dull" compared to mitigation, offers substantial long-term benefits. It reduces the economic burden of climate impacts, safeguards public health and well-being, and ensures the continuity of essential services. By embedding climate adaptation into economic planning and financial decision-making, the UK can transform a challenge into an opportunity for resilience and innovation, securing its prosperity in a changing climate.

Ready to take control of your energy and support a more resilient future? Switch to Fuse Energy today for 24/7 human customer support. Our vision includes clear pricing and real-time usage data to help you manage your energy. It's a power play for your home and the UK's energy future. Click here to get started. Find out more about our mission to build a future with power to play with here.

References

1. Institute for Government. The UK is forgetting the dull bit of climate change policy