CCC to advise the Government on its fourth assessment of UK climate change risks

The Climate Change Committee has started the Independent Assessment of UK Climate Risk that will underpin the UK’s Fourth Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA4). This independent assessment will be delivered in 2026 and will provide an updated assessment of the risks from climate change and the potential for adaptation to address them.

The next CCRA4 Independent Assessment (CCRA4-IA) will build on the previous assessment. It will feature:

• A Technical Report led by the Met Office and a consortium of experts which will synthesise the most up-to-date evidence on the range of risks facing the UK from climate change, and their ‘urgency’ for additional policy to address them.
• A Well-Adapted UK Report, which will seek to inform the actions that governments around the UK can take to improve climate resilience in the next round of national adaptation programmes.

The proposed methodological approach has been published on the CCC website alongside a video explainer, led by Baroness Brown, Chair of the Adaptation Committee and Ken Wright, Team Leader – CCRA.

The CCC is also seeking your evidence and information on UK climate risk, to inform the next Climate Change Risk Assessment Independent Assessment (CCRA4-IA) Technical Report. The call for evidence is a key part of the process and we’re keen to update our understanding of climate risks. Find out more and respond to the call for evidence here.

Notes to editors:

• The 2008 Climate Change Act requires the Government to produce a UK Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA) every five years in order to fully assess the current and future impacts of climate change.
• The Climate Change Committee leads the delivery of the CCRA4-IA that provides the evidence for the Government Assessment. This will include a Technical Report, a Well-Adapted UK Report and advice to Government as part of the Independent Assessment.
• The Technical Report will be produced by the Met Office, alongside a consortium of experts including (University of Exeter, University of Birmingham, University of Leeds, University of Bristol, University of Reading, University of Edinburgh, University College London, UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Plymouth Marine Laboratory, HR Wallingford, Mott Macdonald, British Red Cross, Newcastle University and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine).