Committee on Climate Change

What is adaptation?

Adaptation involves adjusting our behaviour to limit harm, or exploit beneficial opportunities, arising from climate change.

The impacts of climate change are already being felt in the UK and these impacts are likely to increase in future.

Adaptation should therefore be addressed alongside mitigation in a twin-track approach to tackling climate change.

Adapting to climate change will reduce the costs and damages of a changing climate in the UK from floods, droughts and heatwaves, and ensure that businesses and public agencies can harness some of the opportunities.

Examples of adaptation measures include:

• Ensuring that new buildings and infrastructure are sited in areas that minimise exposure to flood risk
• Enhancing green space in the design of towns and cities to help manage surface water drainage and cope with rising temperatures and heat waves
• Ensuring  that buildings can cope with rising temperatures and floods
• Using water more efficiently in order to reduce vulnerability to droughts
• Improving and extending ecological networks and habitat bridges, so that biodiversity can adapt and move as the climate changes
• Making space for water along rivers and the coast.
• Creating plans that reduce impact on and ensure continuation of care for the most vulnerable groups in society (such as the elderly) during heat waves and floods.