The UK Climate Change Risk Assessment 2017

You might have missed it under the deluge of Trump and Brexit news, but the UK Climate Risk Assessment 2017 was published last month. A five-yearly requirement under the 2008 Climate Change Act, the results will be used to inform the development of the next instalment of the UK National Adaptation Programme, due in 2018.

The report agrees with the assessment of the 6 priority areas identified in the supporting Evidence Report and outlines the broad policy measures the Government is taking to address the risks identified. For a very accessible summary see this video by the Commitee on Climate Change.

Priority areas in the UKCRA 2017 

The good news here is that the Government remains committed to action on climate change, and confirms that statutory requirements under the 2008 Climate Change Act are not affected by Brexit. What we get in practice, however, will depend to a great extent on the evolution of UK policy on the Environment and Climate Change following withdrawal from the EU - as a recent House of Lords report makes clear, ensuring environmental protection (and enforcement) will be a complex process, with significant risk of watering down of regulations for short-term political gain. Regardless of what emerges from that process, what is clear is that action now is essential to create more resilient communities, business and infrastructre. 

Want to know more about how to successfully manage climate risks in your work, and identify opportunities to increase resilience? Applications are open for the 2017 Adaptation Academy in Oxford are now open!