UK Climate Change Risk Assessment

As required by the Climate Change Act 2008, the UK government undertakes a third five-year assessment of the risks of climate change on the UK. It is based on the statutory advice provided by the Climate Change Committee (CCC), commissioned by the UK government and devolved administrations.

Third Climate Change Risk Assessment (2022)

The third UK climate change risk assessment, together with its supporting evidence report, was published in January 2022. The Climate Change Committee prepared the updated independent assessment in June 2021, to inform the UK Government’s third CCRA (known as CCRA3). The Assessment was split into three parts; a technical report produced by a consortium of expert technical authors, led by the University of Exeter in partnership with the Met Office, summaries by nation and sector produced by Sustainability West Midlands and an advice report produced by the Adaptation Committee of the Climate Change Committee. A full list of the contributors to CCRA3 can be found here.

Second Climate Change Risk Assessment (2017)

The second UK climate change risk assessment, together with its supporting evidence report, was published in January 2017. For this Assessment, Defra asked the Climate Change Committee (CCC) to prepare the independent Evidence Report setting out the latest evidence on the risks and opportunities to the UK from climate change and updating the evidence base from CCRA1. The CCRA2 Evidence Report considered a smaller list of 56 priority risks and opportunities highlighted by the Government, and summarised the results using a slightly different method to CCRA1, focussing on the urgency of further action rather than the size of the different risks and opportunities.

First Climate Change Risk Assessment (2012)

The first UK climate change risk assessment, together with its supporting evidence report, was published in January 2012. It set out the main priorities for adaptation in the UK under five key themes identified in the Evidence Report. It also described the policy context, and action already in place to tackle some of the risks in each area.The Evidence Report assessed over 100 risks and opportunities, narrowed down from an initial list of over 700, and was prepared by a consortium led by the consultancy HR Wallingford.