Identifying Non-Government User Requirements for the UK Climate Change Risk Assessment

Under the Climate Change Act 2008 (section 57), an assessment of the risks facing the UK from the current and predicted impact of climate change is required every 5 years. The CCC is responsible for providing independent advice to the UK Government to inform that assessment.

The Committee has recently provided its advice to the UK Government on the risks and opportunities facing the UK from current and future climate change as part of the third Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) - this was summarised in its Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk which was published in summer 2021.

The fourth UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA4) is due for completion by June 2026. CCRA4 will assess climate change risks to the UK using a more spatially defined approach than previous CCRAs, giving an assessment of the spatial distribution of climate risks across the UK and a more localised view of adaptation needs.

To help inform that design of the next CCRA we are looking to commission a piece of work to better understand non-Government user needs for the next CCRA. Whilst the priority audiences for the CCRA are Government users, we are conscious that there are a range of current and potential users outside of Government. By understanding their usage of climate risk information from the national risk assessment, including demands for more spatially refined and quantitative data, CCRA4 could be designed to best serve these needs alongside those of the Government audiences.

** See specification for more information **