UK must prepare for 2C rise in global warming by 2050, government warned

Independent climate consultants have said that the UK should be able to cope with extremes as a result of global warming of at least 2C by 2050. In a letter sent to the government, the country was not yet adapted to the worstning weather extremes that were still existing at current temperatures of rising, let alone what was predicted to arrive. The commission said they would recommend that the UK braces for climate change beyond the Paris Agreement's long-term temperature target. The letter came as the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported that 2024 had seen a record rise in carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.

Carbon dioxide is the primary catalyst for human-caused climate change, and it is released as fossil fuels are combustible, as well as other activities. The CCC's letter came after it had been asked to provide information on a timeframe for setting adaptation scenarios based on

minimum climate scenarios. They urged the government to set out a framework of

clear long-term goals

to prevent further temperature rise, with new targets every five years and departments

fully accountable

for achieving those targets. When the UK's first major study describing how the UK can adapt to climate change in May 2026, the CCC said they would have more information on potential

trade offs" in May-2026.

The committee's last report was published in April this year, which stated that UK temperatures were

either too warm, have stalled, or [are] heading in the wrong direction. It warned that this lack of change could leave the UK vulnerable to severe economic and health risks in the decades ahead, from hospitals and care homes to food and water sources. And it said that the effects of high temperatures were already apparent, in particular in schools. The CCC cited preliminary findings from the Department of Education, which found that there were on average 1. 7 days of

overheating" as well as missing learning time due to heat.

UK 'not keeping up' with increasing climate risks

In 2015, theParis Agreement was signed, and nearly 200 nations committed to try and prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1. 5C is above pre-industrial standards, and we expect to keep well below 2C. A global warming level of 2C, as the CCC explained in their letter, would have a major effect on the UK's weather, with extreme events becoming more common and widespread. According to them, the UK could face more heatwaves, drought, and flood, and the wildfire season would likely persist into fall.

People in the United Kingdom are already suffering the consequences of a changing climate, and we owe it to them to prepare and support them prepare,

Baroness Brown, chairwoman of the CCC adaptation committee, said.

Adaptation in the United Kingdom is not keeping up with the rise in climate risk. The effects on the UK are getting worse, and [the government] needs more enthusiasm,

she told the BBC's Today programme. The chairwoman also blasted Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, who has promised to scrap the UK's landmark climate change law and replace it with a program for cheap and reliable electricity. Baroness Brown sluggishly described the promise as disappointing and said she wished that the Conservative leader would

reflect on the fact that the legislation protects both adaptation and mitigation. Climate change is altering the UK's weather patterns, with four official heatwaves forecast in 2025, which the Met Office says was the hottest on record. Met Office climate scientists have reported that a summer that is hot or humider than 2025 is now 70 percent more likely than it would have been in a

natural" environment, with no human-induced greenhouse gas emissions.

Record rise in CO2

The increase of CO2 in the atmosphere between 2023 and 2024 was the first since modern measurements began in the late 1950s, according to the WMO. This is a summary of findings that were first published by the Met Office in January.

The heat trapped by CO2 and other greenhouse gases is turbo-charging our climate and triggering more extreme weather,

WMO deputy Secretary-General Ko Barrett said. "Reducing emissions is therefore vital not only for our climate, but also for our economic stability and community well-being. Based on longer-term measurements such as marine sediments and ice cores, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has previously reported that CO2 levels in at least two million years are at their highest level in at at least 20 years. To stay up with the most up-to-date climate and environment news with BBC's Justin Rowlatt, sign up for our Future Earth newsletter to stay up to date. Outside the UK? Sign up to our international newsletter here.