Governemnt watchdog鈥檚 report published as Tony Blair brands net zero policies as 鈥榠rrational鈥

Labour has made no progress in addressing the risks of extreme weather caused by climate change since entering government, the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has said.

The government鈥檚 statutory climate advisor called for more resources for climate adaptation planning as it warned the UK is still not appropriately prepared for an increase of heat waves, heavy rainfall and wildfires over the coming years.

Flooding shutterstock 2

One in four buildings could be at risk of flooding by 2050, according to the CCC report

The CCC鈥檚 adaptation committee, which is required to report on the UK鈥檚 progress on climate adaptation every two years, published its latest report today.

It said the 鈥渧ast majority鈥 of the assessment outcomes for the 2025 report share the same low scores as in 2023, with the committee finding 鈥渘o evidence鈥 to score a single outcome for adaptation delivery as 鈥済ood鈥.

鈥淣otably, there has been no change in addressing this risk with the change in Government,鈥 the report added.

The report found 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea, and surface water, a number which is predicted to rise to around 8 million, or one in four, by 2050.

Over a third of railway and road kilometres are currently at flood risk, predicted to rise to around half by 2050, according to the report, with rail systems and power lines also at risk from extreme heat.

CCC chair Julia King said: 鈥淲e have seen in the last couple of years that the country is not prepared for the impacts of climate change. We know there is worse to come, and we are not ready, indeed in many areas we are not even planning to be ready. The threat is greatest for the most vulnerable: we do not have resilient hospitals, schools, or care homes. Public and private institutions alike are unprepared.

鈥淲e can see our country changing before our eyes. People are having to cope with more regular extreme weather impacts. People are experiencing increasing food prices. People are worried about vulnerable family members during heatwaves.

鈥淚neffective and outdated ways of working within Government are holding back the country鈥檚 ability to be future-fit. Is this Government going to face up to the reality of our situation? Failing to act will impact every family and every person in the country.鈥

The report coincides with an intervention yesterday from Tony Blair, who has called for a new approach to net zero as he argued government policies on limiting fossil fuels were 鈥渄oomed to fail鈥.

The former prime minister said the debate on climate change had become 鈥渋rrational鈥 and people were no longer prepared to make financial sacrifices and changes in lifestyle that would have 鈥渕inimal鈥 effect on global emissions.

Blair also said in a report by the Tony Blair Institute that a backlash against net zero policies threatened to 鈥渄erail the whole agenda鈥 as global demand for fossil fuels and airline travel continues to increase over the next 20 years.

The report calls for more focus on emerging technologies such as carbon capture and storage and nuclear fusion, and a coordinated international effort to persuade the world鈥檚 biggest economies, such as China and India, to cut their emissions.

Environment secretary Steve Reed said Blair had made 鈥渁 valid and important contribution鈥 to the climate change debate.

Speaking on Times Radio this morning, Reed said: 鈥淚 agree with much of what he said, but not absolutely every word and dot and comma of it.

鈥淏ut this government is moving to clean energy because it鈥檚 best for Britain. It鈥檚 more energy security for Britain.鈥

Weather forecasters have predicted a spring heatwave in the UK, expected to peak tomorrow with temperatures of 29 degrees in London, could result in the hottest start to May on record.