Research to support the presentation of the results of the UK climate change risk assessment for different degrees of climate change

The Government is required under the 2008 Climate Change Act to publish a climate change risk assessment every five years. The first assessment was published in 2012 and the next is due in 2017.

The Adaptation Sub-Committee (ASC) to the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) provides independent, evidence-based analysis and advice to Government on preparing for climate change. The ASC has statutory roles to advise Ministers on their preparation of the national Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) and report to Parliament on the Government’s progress with the implementation of the National Adaptation Programme (NAP).

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Devolved Administrations have requested that the ASC prepare an independent evidence report for the next risk assessment. This will comprise the ASC’s statutory advice to Ministers, and will inform a Government Report to be laid before Parliament. The Climate Change Act requires the ASC’s advice to be submitted to Ministers six months before the Government Report is due to be laid before Parliament. As the first CCRA was published in January 2012, the second CCRA must be laid before Parliament by January 2017. This means that the ASC’s advice must be submitted to Ministers by July 2016. The Government will then produce a second National Adaptation Programme that will set out the policies and proposals to address the risks identified by the CCRA. The Devolved Administrations will also set out their respective policies in response to the CCRA.