'Wake-up call' for Britain as top climate advisers issue starkest warning yet

Britain's top climate advisers have issued their starkest warning yet, urging the government to prepare for at least 2°C of warming by 2050. This target is hotter and sooner than previous advice and acknowledges the high likelihood of breaching the Paris Agreement's goal of limiting warming to "well below" 2°C, ideally 1.5°C. The independent Climate Change Committee (CCC) has for the first time recommended this 2°C preparation target to spur efforts to make national infrastructure and buildings more resilient. The UK is already experiencing severe weather events, including droughts and heatwaves, with impacts expected to be substantially worse at 2°C of warming. Projections suggest twice as many people at risk of flooding and a tenfold increase in days with a very high risk of wildfires in southern England. The CCC also advises that new construction, including power stations and homes, should be adaptable for potential future warming of up to 4°C, a scenario though unlikely, cannot be ruled out. While the CCC still believes 1.5°C is achievable as a long-t... download the app to read more