August has brought another uncomfortable reminder that climate change is no longer a distant environmental issue. It is a growing challenge for the UK’s infrastructure, economy, public services and communities.
The UK has experienced its fifth heatwave of the summer, alongside wildfires, drought conditions and increasing pressure on water resources. Yet, at the same time, new figures have raised questions about whether the country is investing enough in adapting to the climate impacts we are already experiencing.
A Freedom of Information request revealed that just 20 of Defra’s 6,613 staff are working specifically on climate adaptation. That equates to around 0.3% of the department’s workforce.
The figure is striking, particularly when considered alongside warnings from the Climate Change Committee about the growing risks facing the UK.
Adaptation is no longer optional
For years, much of the climate conversation has centred on mitigation: reducing emissions, transitioning away from fossil fuels and reaching net zero.
Those efforts remain essential.
But even if global emissions were to fall dramatically tomorrow, the UK would still experience the consequences of climate change already locked into the climate system.
That means businesses, councils and government departments must increasingly ask a different question:
Are we prepared for the climate we are going to have, rather than the climate we have historically had?
Flooding, extreme heat, drought, water shortages, wildfires and disruption to transport and energy infrastructure can all carry significant economic costs.
The Climate Change Committee has warned that climate risks could result in economic losses running into hundreds of billions of pounds annually by 2050 without significant improvements in adaptation.
What does this mean for business?
Climate adaptation should not be viewed solely as a government responsibility.
Businesses need to understand how changing weather patterns could affect their own operations and supply chains.
That could mean:
- Assessing exposure to flooding, heat and water scarcity.
- Reviewing business continuity plans.
- Understanding climate risks across global supply chains.
- Protecting employees from extreme heat.
- Considering resilience when selecting sites and infrastructure.
- Incorporating physical climate risks into financial and strategic planning.
For sustainability professionals, this represents an important shift.
Climate strategy is no longer simply about calculating carbon footprints and setting reduction targets. It is also about understanding physical risk, resilience and long-term business continuity.
From response to resilience
The UK’s extreme weather this summer should not simply be viewed as a series of isolated events.
It should be treated as a stress test.
The question is not whether the UK will experience more extreme weather. The evidence increasingly suggests that it will.
The question is whether our infrastructure, businesses, communities and public services will be ready when it arrives.
At Go Green Now, we believe sustainability needs to move beyond targets and reporting and towards practical action that builds stronger, more resilient organisations.
Because a sustainable business is not simply one that reduces its impact on the planet.
It is one that is prepared for the planet we are creating.
What does climate resilience look like for your organisation?
The conversation needs to move from “How do we prepare?” to “How quickly can we act?”