The government has published its third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), claiming this “marks a step-change in the UK government’s approach to climate adaptation, setting out in one place the ambitious programme the government is undertaking to address the key climate risks facing the country”.
Government commitments
• Embed an all-encompassing approach to climate resilience in line with the government’s Resilience Framework, which sets out commitments to review standards, assurance and regulation of infrastructure sectors, improving the systems and capabilities that underpin resilience planning.
• Protect lives and wellbeing across the UK, with a new UK Health Security Agency Adverse Weather & Health Plan to bolster the health system to be better adapted to an increase in the frequency and severity of extreme weather events.
• Pilot a dedicated Local Authority Climate Service which will provide easy access to localised climate data. This Met Office tool will help local authorities plan adaptation by informing them about hazards such as increased heavy rainfall patterns and extreme heat.
• Establish a senior government officials Climate Resilience Board to oversee cross-cutting climate adaptation and resilience issues across government, including preparations for heatwaves, flooding and drought, driving further action to increase UK resilience to climate change.
• A new, £15m joint research initiative led by Defra and UKRI to equip researchers, policymakers, and practitioners with vital data, skills and incentives to ensure proactive adaptation is happening across all areas of government policy.
NAP2 was criticised for failing to adequately prepare the UK for climate change – for instance, by the Climate Change Committee. Commentators have generally welcomed NAP3 as a step in the right direction, but argue it lacks urgency and has gaps.
For instance, director of policy at the Institution of Civil Engineers, Chris Richards, said:"While the government's NAP3 makes some welcome commitments to examine adaptation on a systems-wide level, the overall lack of urgency in the plan is deeply concerning. It merely promises to review whether adaptation reporting should be mandatory by 2024/25, postponing the UK's ability to determine what infrastructure is most at risk and what actions need to be taken.”
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