Climate Emergency in High Gear, but Government Still Muddling Along The latest freedom of information request reveals a stark truth about the UK's preparedness for climate change: only 20 officials out of 6,613 staff at Defra are working on adapting to a new climate.
This meager effort comes as England is gripped by heatwaves, wildfires, and droughts, with peak river flows expected to increase by up to 45% and water supply shortfalls potentially surpassing 5 billion litres daily.
The Climate Change Adaptation Committee has warned of the economic cost of failing to adapt – between 1% and 5% of UK GDP annually by 2050, or £60 billion to £260 billion a year.