The Royal Society submitted a response to the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee inquiry on Climate Change Adaptation. In the response the Society argues that:
a) The UK currently faces a range of risks that will be exacerbated by climate change and increasing exposure. These include wind storms, flooding, storm surges, sea level rise and heat waves.
b) The UK government should continue to build a flexible, evaluative process, and implement evidence-based policies and anticipatory investment to reduce risks.
c) Evidence is vital in developing effective policies for adapting to climate change and improving resilience to extreme weather.
d) National governments have primary responsibility and accountability for protecting their populations and enabling resilience building. They should achieve this in collaboration with other sectors and by enabling regional and local action.
e) Royal Society work to date suggests that the Adaptation Sub-Committee’s Report’s broad conclusions are in line with the evidence.