Climate experts issue ‘wake up call’ to UK in starkest warning yet

It’s not looking good...

Top government advisers must prepare for an increase of at least 2 degrees within just 25 years.

This limit is hotter and sooner than previous official advice, and even worse than the 1.5C level that most of the world has been trying to stick to.

The 2015 Paris Agreement saw countries agree to try to limit warming to 'well below' 2C, ideally 1.5C. However, with global average temperatures already nearing 1.4C, the chances of this are getting smaller.

The recent warning from the independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) is undoubtedly the starkest yet, stating that ministers should 'at a minimum, prepare the country for the weather extremes that will be experienced if global warming levels reach 2C above pre-industrial levels by 2050.'

This is the committee’s first time recommending such a target, aiming to spur action on climate resilience after years of warnings about the country's lack of preparedness.

With the UK already struggling to cope with the drought, flooding, and heat brought by current temperatures, CCC adviser Professor Richard Betts said: "Though the change from 1.5C to 2C may sound small, the difference in impacts would be substantial."

Some examples of what this could mean include twice as many people at risk of flooding, and, in southern England, ten times as many days with a very high risk of wildfires.

CCC member Baroness Brown commented in a briefing: "We continue to believe 1.5C is achievable as a long term goal. But clearly the risk it will not be achieved is getting higher, and for risk management, we do believe we have to plan for 2C."

World leaders are set to discuss their plans to adapt to rising temperatures at the COP30 climate summit in Brazil next month.

Speaking to Sky News, Royal Society adviser Professor Eric Wolff said leaders needed to wake up.

"It is now very challenging even to stay below two degrees. This is a wake up call both to continue reducing emissions, but at the same time to prepare our infrastructure and economy for the inevitable climate changes that we are already committed to."