Progress in Adapting to Climate Change 2025: Why the UK Must Act Now to Avoid Escalating Risks and Costs

What Are the Main Findings of the CCC’s 2025 Climate Adaptation Report?

The CCC’s 2025 report delivers several headline messages:

• No area of adaptation delivery is rated as ‘good’: Across 46 outcomes assessed, not a single one achieved a ‘good’ score for delivery and implementation. Progress is either too slow, has stalled, or is moving in the wrong direction.
• NAP3 has failed to drive meaningful change: Nearly all outcomes received the same low scores as in 2023, indicating a lack of progress in shifting from planning to action.
• Major risks are escalating: Extreme weather events, such as the wettest 18 months on record (Oct 2022–Mar 2024) and the record 2022 heatwave, have already caused significant disruption and losses. Over half of the UK’s best agricultural land is at flood risk, and by 2050, up to 8 million properties could be at risk of flooding—25% of all properties in England.
• Economic and health impacts are mounting: Unchecked climate change could reduce UK economic output by up to 7% of GDP by 2050. Heat-related deaths, already in the thousands annually, could exceed 10,000 per year by mid-century.

How Is the UK Government Performing Under the Third National Adaptation Programme?

The Third National Adaptation Programme (NAP3), published in 2023, was intended to address longstanding gaps in UK climate resilience. However, the CCC’s assessment finds:

• Implementation is lagging: Delivery of adaptation actions remains limited. For 12 out of 46 outcomes, progress is rated as ‘insufficient’.
• Planning is not translating into action: While a few areas—mainly regulated infrastructure sectors—show ‘good’ policy and planning scores, most areas remain at ‘limited’ or ‘insufficient’ levels. Only three outcomes achieved a ‘good’ score for policies and plans.
• Monitoring and evaluation are weak: Data gaps and unclear indicators make it difficult to track progress. For nine outcomes, there isn’t enough information to evaluate progress at all.

Which Sectors Are Most at Risk from Inadequate Climate Adaptation?

The CCC’s report highlights several sectors where adaptation is particularly urgent:

• Land, Nature, and Food: Terrestrial and freshwater habitats are in poor ecological health, with limited progress in making agriculture and forestry climate-resilient.
• Infrastructure: Water supply, energy, transport, and digital infrastructure face growing risks from extreme weather, yet adaptation measures are lagging. For example, over a third of UK rail and road networks are already at flood risk, rising to half by 2050.
• Built Environment: Millions of properties are at risk of flooding or overheating. Urban heat risks and sustainable coastal management are not being adequately addressed.
• Health and Wellbeing: The health sector is not prepared for the projected rise in heat-related deaths and disruptions to healthcare during extreme events.
• Economy and Finance: Businesses and financial institutions are not yet systematically addressing physical climate risks, threatening productivity and investment.

Why Is Progress on Adaptation So Slow in the UK?

The CCC identifies several barriers to effective adaptation:

• Lack of clear objectives and targets: Without actionable and measurable goals, it is difficult for government, businesses , and communities to coordinate efforts.
• Poor cross-government coordination: Adaptation is not integrated with broader resilience and policy agendas, resulting in fragmented action.
• Insufficient resources and funding: The next government Spending Review must prioritise climate adaptation, ensuring critical public services and infrastructure are resilient.
• Inadequate monitoring and learning: Without robust data and evaluation, it is impossible to learn from experience and improve adaptation strategies.

What Are the CCC’s Key Recommendations for Improving UK Climate Resilience?

To address these shortcomings, the CCC urges the government to:

• Set clear objectives and targets for adaptation, clarifying the roles of government, the private sector, and households .
• Improve coordination across departments, sectors, and levels of government, making adaptation a cross-government priority.
• Integrate adaptation into all relevant policies, including infrastructure, health, and economic planning.
• Establish robust monitoring and evaluation frameworks to track progress and inform future action.

How Can Businesses and Communities Prepare for Escalating Climate Risks?

Businesses, local authorities, and communities should not wait for government action to begin improving resilience. Proactive steps include:

• Assessing site-specific risks (flooding, heat, supply chain disruptions) and integrating adaptation into business continuity planning.
• Investing in resilient infrastructure such as solar PV and battery storage systems, which can help manage energy risks during extreme weather.
• Engaging with local adaptation initiatives and supporting community preparedness for climate shocks.

For expert advice on making your business or community more climate resilient, Atlantic Renewables' engineers are ready to help with tailored solar PV and battery storage solutions.

What Is the Cost of Inaction on Climate Adaptation?

The CCC warns that failing to adapt now will lock in higher future costs and risks:

• Economic losses: Up to 7% of UK GDP could be at risk by 2050 without additional adaptation.
• Health impacts: Annual heat-related deaths could rise to over 10,000 by mid-century.
• Infrastructure damage: Flooding, heat, and drought will increasingly disrupt transport, water, and energy systems, with cascading effects across the economy.

Investing in adaptation is far more cost-effective than dealing with the consequences of inaction. For example, every £1 spent on flood resilience can save up to £8 in avoided damages (Environment Agency).

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