The UK's First Climate Change Risk Assessment published

The UK’s first Climate Change Risk Assessment is published by Defra today.

Reports making up the assessment can be downloaded from the Defra CCRA webpage.

A number of LWEC accredited activities, including the Cranfield Risk Centre and The Adaptation and Resilience to a Changing Climate Programme have contributed expertise to identify the top 100 challenges to the UK from a changing climate.

These include an increase in the risks from flooding and increasing pressures on UK Water resources. LWEC has recognised these risks as priorities in two recent publications: The UK Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Research Strategy and the UK Water Research and Innovation Framework

LWEC will continue to deliver leading edge evidence and research which will be relevant to the new National Adaptation Programme, also announced today. This will help to prepare the UK for the risks identified in the Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA)

Speaking at the launch of the CCRA, Professor Sir Bob Watson, Chief Scientific Adviser at Defra, said:

“The CCRA is ground-breaking research which puts the UK at the forefront of understanding what the projected changes to our climate will really mean for us.For the first time it means we can compare a wide range of risks based on their financial, social and environmental implications. This will be invaluable for Government in prioritising the areas for future policies and investment, and it will help businesses assess what they need to do to ensure they are resilient to the changing climate.”

Lord John Krebs, Chair of the Adaptation Sub-Committee of the Committee on Climate Change, said:

“The Government’s forthcoming adaptation programme should tackle barriers to adaptation so that local communities, businesses and households can take action to prepare.”