Overview

• Formal advice urges preparation for at least 2°C of global warming by mid‑century, with homes and energy networks designed for upgrades to withstand up to 4°C by 2100.
• The CCC says Britain is not adapted to present warming of about 1.4°C, citing 2025’s record summer with drought impacts and the 40°C event in 2022.
• Ministers are pressed to adopt a 2050 adaptation framework with five‑year targets and clear departmental accountability across six priority areas.
• At 2°C, the committee projects annual heatwave odds doubling, drought time doubling in England, heavier peak rainfall by 10–15%, river flows up to 40% higher, and higher wildfire risk.
• A fuller adaptation report is due in May 2026, while proposals to change the Climate Change Act draw criticism from the CCC’s Baroness Brown.