By Abbas Nazil
The United Kingdom must urgently prepare for at least 2°C of global warming by 2050, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has warned, stressing that the country remains ill-equipped to handle worsening climate extremes already evident today.
In a letter to the government, the CCC said the UK was “not yet adapted” to current levels of warming, “let alone” what is projected in the coming decades.
The committee advised that the government plan for climate impacts beyond the temperature targets of the Paris Agreement, which seeks to limit global warming to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels.
The warning came as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) confirmed that 2024 recorded the largest rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) since modern measurements began in the late 1950s.
CO₂, the main driver of human-caused climate change, is emitted largely through the burning of fossil fuels.
The CCC urged the government to establish a clear adaptation framework, setting new targets every five years and ensuring each department is accountable for progress.
A major report detailing potential trade-offs and strategies for resilience is expected in May 2026.
Earlier in April, the CCC’s report had warned that UK preparations for rising temperatures were “too slow, stalled, or heading in the wrong direction,” leaving the country exposed to serious economic, health, and infrastructure risks.
Schools, hospitals, and care homes were identified as vulnerable sectors already facing the effects of heatwaves.
Baroness Brown, chair of the CCC’s adaptation committee, said adaptation efforts were not keeping pace with rising risks and criticized Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s proposal to scrap the UK’s climate legislation.
She urged stronger ambition, warning that climate impacts would intensify without decisive government action.
The Met Office reported that 2025 marked the hottest UK summer on record, with four official heatwaves.
Scientists say such extreme summers are now 70 times more likely than before human-induced emissions.
WMO officials cautioned that CO₂-driven heat is “turbo-charging” the planet’s climate, making urgent emission cuts essential for global security, economic stability, and community well-being.