UK needs to step up efforts to mitigate climate change

Efforts to tackle climate change are not keeping up with the fast pace of global warming and increasing climate risks, according to a report by the Climate Change Committee involving UCL experts. Professor Michael Davies (UCL Institute for Environmental Design & Engineering - IEDE) is a member of the Climate Change Committee and the Adaptation Committee within it, which advises the Government on climate change risks. Commenting on the technical report, which he provided expertise and input to, Professor Davies said: "I am delighted that this report and our associated advice to Government is now being published. The work has culminated in the provision of cutting edge evidence relating to climate change and is both important and timely." The Climate Change Committee considered a catalogue of risks and opportunities affecting every aspect of life in the UK. It concluded that the Government must deliver a stronger action plan to support good adaptation planning across the UK and integrate this into all relevant plans and policies. Average land temperature in the UK has risen by around 1.2°C from pre-industrial levels, sea levels have risen by 16cm since 1900 and episodes of extreme heat are becoming more frequent. Since the CCC's last report in 2016, over 570,000 new homes have been built that are not resilient to high temperatures.