15 October 2025
The Climate Change Committee says the world must adapt to the impacts of more extreme weather events due to temperature levels reaching at least 2°C above preindustrial levels by 2050.
In a letter to the UK Government, the CCC said "it was clear we are not yet adapted for the changes in weather and climate that we are living with today, let alone those that are expected over coming decades" such as more severe heatwaves, drought, storms, and flooding.
The CCC advised that the long-term goal of the Paris Agreement - to keep "the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels" - was still achievable, "prudent risk management needed to consider a wider range of possible worse outcomes". At the "high end of possibilities, reaching 4°C above preindustrial levels by the end-of-century cannot yet be ruled out and should be considered as part of effective adaptation planning".
Sarah Mukherjee, chief executive of Institute of Sustainability and Environmental Professionals (ISEP), said: “When it comes to climate change, adaptation is often a poor cousin to mitigation. So the announcement today from the Climate Change Committee, urging the government to introduce a new climate adaptation target for the UK, is long overdue and very needed.
“There is an argument that mitigation is global and adaptation is local, so the UK should be concentrating as much, if not more, on adaptation. After all, with more extreme weather on the horizon, such as heatwaves, drought, storms and flooding, urgent action is needed to increase adaptation action locally.
“Our cities, towns and individual homes need to be more resilient to flooding and heatwaves. For example, building more flood defences, changing building regulations to include ventilation and cooling, or encouraging the installation of heat pumps that also provide air conditioning.
“Business practices also need to evolve to account for changes in climate, such as creating robust supply chains, growing different crops or preparing the NHS for more warm-weather diseases.
“And in some cases adaptation may mean managed retreat in coastal areas where sea-level rise and erosion make protecting some homes unviable.
“This is not just about policy and pounds – but people. And just like the government is investing in the skilled people to transform our energy system to be low carbon to mitigate emissions, we need to invest in skilled people that can deliver that long list of adaptation measures.
