Climate Resilience

Why do we focus on climate resilience?

We are already experiencing the consequences of a 1ºC global temperature rise through more intense and frequent extreme weather across the UK. Those consequences are costing lives and livelihoods, now.

1.8 million homes are at significant risk of flooding, costing the UK economy £1.3 billion each year. Experts predict that a third of the English coast will face flood pressure by 2050. Storms Dennis and Ciara in 2020 saw 82,000 insurance claims for flood and wind damage, leading to more than £360 million paid out by insurers.

2.6 million people live in homes where excess cold poses serious and immediate risk to health and safety, costing the NHS £1.4 billion each year. In other seasons, 20% of homes currently experience overheating, even during relatively cool summers.

By 2050, threats posed by climate change will cost up to 4% of GDP – nearly twice the cost of the armed forces and more than the entire current UK budget deficit. The UK urgently needs to step up its efforts to build more resilient homes, towns, and cities.

NAP3 Policy Scorecard

Published during COP28, this scorecard outlines where the government is falling behind on the need to create a resilient built environment. On five out of seven critical climate resilience priorities, UKGBC’s scorecard finds that the Government policies in its Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3) are insufficient, flawed, or missing, placing millions of homes and buildings – and the lives of people occupying them –  at serious risk of damage from climate-related disaster.

The scorecard analyses policies affecting both existing buildings and new builds and their adaptation to the most serious climate risks including water scarcity, overheating, flooding, and coastal erosion, awarding each a rating of green (progress in line with UKGBC recommendations) amber (positive or partial but insufficient progress) or red (failing to deliver or actively hindering progress). No areas received a green rating, indicating that the UK built environment is not sufficiently adapted to the present and future risks posed by any of the threats assessed by UKGBC.