The latest warnings from the Climate Change Committee (CCC) may come as a shock to some readers (UK ‘built for climate that no longer exists’ and needs urgent changes to survive global heating, report warns, 20 May). For those of us who study these systems, it’s no surprise. Britain has kicked the can down the road for too long, leaving the UK dangerously exposed to the impacts of climate change.
When we picture national security, we think of fighter jets, ships and soldiers, but if we can’t grow our own food or keep our homes safe from flooding, the most immediate threat is to ordinary life. This is not alarmism. As the CCC report shows, our high-grade farmland in England and Wales could collapse from 40% to just over 10% by 2050, striking at our ability to feed ourselves. Without restoring our ecosystems, building resilience and making climate adaptation a priority across all of government, we are playing with the future of our communities.
