A report by the National Audit Office has found that the UK government is not adequately prepared for climate disasters including severe droughts and floods.
Climate campaigners have been quoted as saying that the UK government is “like a boiling frog” and “oblivious” to extreme weather.
At least four extreme weather events including droughts, surface water flooding, storms and high temperatures (including heatwaves) were assessed by the independent public spending watchdog to determine how well-prepared the country is.
While Storms, floods and heatwaves can cause deaths, droughts can have devastating effects on agriculture and there are concerns that supplies of running water in certain areas of the country could run out for periods in the future.
Among other things, the latest report took into account the fact that these events are becoming more likely, and will be more intense when they hit because of the changes to the climate caused by burning fossil fuels. For instance, by 2050 there is expected to be a 50% chance each year that summer temperatures will match those of 2018, the joint hottest on record.
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The report found that the Cabinet Office, whose role it is to coordinate government response to events “does not have clearly defined targets, or an effective strategy in place to make the UK resilient to extreme weather.”
This means it is difficult for government to make informed decisions on investment to prevent or mitigate extreme weather events. The investigators also found that there was limited evidence of risk assessments being carried out as part of funding decisions.
The government also does not track or evaluate its spending on extreme weather resilience, the report found, which means there is no way to tell if any measures taken by ministers are effective. The report said that infrastructure – such as roads, rail, power and datacentres – is not designed to withstand extreme weather, particularly high temperatures and heatwaves.
NAO officials have recommended that the government put targets and goals in place to safeguard the UK from the extreme weather events that are becoming more intense and more likely due to climate breakdown. They also suggested that the Cabinet Office consider the merits of a chief risk adviser to coordinate the response and funding for climate disasters.
Gareth Davies, who is the comptroller and auditor general of the NAO, said: “The UK’s experience during the pandemic demonstrated the vital importance of building resilience, and that lesson also applies to extreme weather events.
“Government needs to place sufficient emphasis on prevention and preparedness – clearly articulating the level of risk it will tolerate – and making informed decisions about prioritisation to ensure efficient and effective investment for the long term.”
Story was adapted from the Guardian.
