Climate Change Risks Report Urges Action on Homes and Buildings

AN ASSESSMENT OF climate risks has warned of the risks to human health, wellbeing and productivity from increased exposure to heat in homes and other buildings.

The finding is part of the latest report from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) which considered a catalogue of risks and opportunities affecting every aspect of life in the UK.

The independent assessment concludes that action to improve the nation’s resilience to climate change is failing to keep pace with the impacts of a warming planet and increasing climate risks facing the UK. It wants to see action on building design and retrofit to help adapt UK buildings to climate change.

The UK is experiencing widespread changes in the climate; average land temperature has risen by around 1.2°C from pre-industrial levels, UK sea levels have risen by 16cm since 1900 and episodes of extreme heat are becoming more frequent.

Climate Resilient Homes

Since the CCC’s last assessment 5 years ago, over 570,000 new homes have been built that are not resilient to future high temperatures and since 2018 over 4,000 heat-related deaths have been recorded in England.

People, nature, and infrastructure are already vulnerable to a range of climate impacts today and these will only increase in the coming years as the climate continues to change, the CCC warns. The longer action to address these risks is delayed, the higher the costs the Government and the UK public will face, the Committee says.

Baroness Brown, Chair of the Adaptation Committee said: “The severity of the risks we face must not be underestimated. These risks will not disappear as the world moves to Net Zero; many of them are already locked in. By better understanding and preparing for the coming changes, the UK can prosper, protecting its people, its economy, and its natural environment. A detailed, effective action plan that prepares the UK for climate change is now essential and needed urgently.”

Climate Adaptation Priorities

UK-wide, nearly 60% of the risks and opportunities assessed in the 1500-page report have been given the highest urgency score. The CCC identifies eight priority risk areas which need immediate attention, at the latest in the next two years:

1. Risks to the viability and diversity of terrestrial and freshwater habitats and species from multiple hazards
2. Risks to soil health from increased flooding and drought
3. Risks to natural carbon stores and sequestration from multiple hazards, leading to increased emissions
4. Risks to crops, livestock and commercial trees from multiple climate hazards
5. Risks to supply of food, goods and vital services due to climate-related collapse of supply chains and distribution networks
6. Risks to people and the economy from climate-related failure of the power system
7. Risks to human health, wellbeing and productivity from increased exposure to heat in homes and other buildings
8. Multiple risks to the UK from climate change impacts overseas

The assessment identifies steps that will have benefits in the next five years if implemented on a wide scale, such as building design and retrofit.

The CCC says the Government has an important role in delivering a better action plan to support good adaptation planning across the UK and integrate this into Government plans and policies. The CCC adds, “The Government has to date not heeded the CCC’s advice on the importance of this plan or on funding it adequately. This needs to change.”

The Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk (CCRA3) outputs, include sector specific Technical Reports and briefings.

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