Committee on Climate Change

Independent advice to UK Government on preparing for climate change

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Adaptation

Government Policy
Government legislation and policy on adapting to climate change

The Climate Change Act 2008 sets out the responsibilities of government in relation to the impact of, and adaptation to, climate change:

  • A UK Climate Change Risk Assessment must take place every five years.
  • A National Adaptation Programme must be put in place and reviewed every five years to address the most pressing climate change risks to England.
  • The Government has the power to require public authorities and statutory undertakers (including the utilities) to report on how they have assessed the risks of climate change to their work, and what they are doing to address these risks.

In order to fulfil these requirements, a cross-government Adapting to Climate Change (ACC) Programme was established in 2008 to bring together and drive forward work in government and the wider public sector on adaptation in England and the UK for reserved matters.  Individual government departments are responsible for embedding adaptation work into their existing strategies.

Adaptation, similar to the mitigation of climate change, is a devolved issue and therefore Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are responsible for producing their own adaptation plans.
 
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