Source · Select Committees · Environmental Audit Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Acknowledged
Paragraph: 39
Climate breakdown threatens lives, livelihoods and infrastructure, and taking steps to ensure continued climate stability...
Conclusion
Climate breakdown threatens lives, livelihoods and infrastructure, and taking steps to ensure continued climate stability must be a national security priority for any government. The increasing frequency and ferocity of extreme weather events, floods, droughts and heatwaves which is manifest at the current 1.1°C average heating should serve as an alarm call. The impact that these weather extremes can have on national infrastructure has recently been all too apparent: there were striking examples of energy generating facilities across Europe being affected by the heatwave and drought in the summer of 2022. The world is currently on track to exceed the 1.5°C threshold that the Paris Agreement was intended to prevent.
Government Response Summary
The Government recognizes that climate change and biodiversity loss pose risks to lives, livelihoods, national security, and infrastructure, and highlights its commitment to tackling these challenges through action and its net zero emissions target by 2050. It is also investing in climate adaptation measures.
Paragraph Reference:
39
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Government recognises that climate change and biodiversity loss are major global challenges, posing significant risks to lives, livelihoods, national security, and infrastructure. We are committed to tackling these challenges through ambitious action at home and abroad. The UK is already feeling the impacts of climate change, with more frequent and intense heatwaves, floods, and droughts. These events have significant impacts on our infrastructure, economy, and society. We have seen the impacts of extreme weather events across Europe this summer, highlighting the urgent need to take action to mitigate and adapt to climate change. The Government is taking action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change. We have enshrined in law a target to reach net zero emissions by 2050, and we are making good progress towards this goal. We are also investing in climate adaptation measures to protect our communities and infrastructure from the impacts of climate change. The increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events is a clear sign that climate change is already happening. We must take action now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate change to protect our planet and our people.