Government publish third National Adaptation Programme

The UK government have published their third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3).

This programme sets out a comprehensive and forward-looking plan for the UK, which sets out actions the government and others will take to address the key climate risks facing the UK from 2023 to 2028.

There are numerous key areas covered in this latest programme, including:

• climate adaptation and the need to act;
• infrastructure;
• natural environment;
• health, communities and the built environment;
• business and industry;
• international dimensions;
• working together; and
• the strategy for the fourth round of climate adaptation reporting.

The strategic five-year plan aims to help the UK adapt to the risks and opportunities of climate change, and ensure greater resilience and protection for people, homes, businesses and cultural heritage against climate change risks such as flooding, drought and heatwaves.

The plan includes specific commitments to:

• embed an all-encompassing approach to climate resilience in line with the Government’s Resilience Framework;
• extend support to vulnerable communities worldwide and tripling adaptation funding through official development assistance to £1.5 billion by 2025;
• protect lives and wellbeing across the UK, with a new UK Health Security Agency Adverse Weather & Health Plan;
• pilot a dedicated Local Authority Climate Service which will provide easy access to localised climate data;
• ensure a healthy and thriving natural environment through the measures in the Environment Act 2021, Plan for Water and Environmental Land Management Schemes which will all boost biodiversity, protect and restore our peatlands, wetlands and rivers, and the wider natural environment, and improve air quality;
• develop capacity and capability for Historic England to model long-term impacts of climate change on cultural heritage caused by increased temperatures, increased rainfall, sea level rise and extreme weather;
• establish a senior government officials Climate Resilience Board to oversee cross-cutting climate adaptation and resilience issues across the government.

Environment Agency Chief Executive Philip Duffy said: "The unfolding scale of climate change presents a huge challenge for our environment, society and economy. The Environment Agency’s work on flood risk reduction, water management and nature plays an important role in our national climate resilience. We look forward to working with the Government and our partners to deliver the new National Adaptation Programme."

The Met Office’s Chief Scientist, Professor Stephen Belcher, commented: "The publication of the latest National Adaptation Programme is a vital reminder that climate change impacts are increasingly becoming a feature of all of our lives. Even with attempts to cut emissions of greenhouse gases, Met Office science informs us that wildfires, rainfall events, rising sea levels, drought and temperature extremes are going to have more serious consequences in years to come. The NAP establishes a pathway to the best resilient future. We need to follow that journey."

For more information, see:

• The Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) and the Fourth Strategy for Climate Adaptation Reporting.