Greens call for dedicated Climate Protection Unit
Green Party MP Adrian Ramsay has called for a dedicated Climate Protection Unit in Number 10 in response to the latest report by the Climate Change Committee (CCC) which warns our way of life is under threat from heat, flooding and drought. The report, ‘A Well-Adapted UK’, sets out a package of recommendations on adapting to the growing impacts of climate change on life in the UK.
Adrian Ramsay said:
“The most fundamental duty of any government is to keep the public safe, and yet today’s CCC report shows we are sleepwalking towards catastrophe and the government is failing to meet the moment.
“The impacts of the climate and nature emergency are already being felt by communities across the UK, with increased food prices, more severe flooding and dangerous heatwaves. From our food and water supply to daily essential services, continued inaction is putting us all at risk. By 2050, the CCC’s report warns that up to 92% of homes could face overheating, peak river flows could rise by up to 45%, and water supply shortfalls could exceed 5 billion litres a day. Our children will not forgive us if the government and Parliament fail to take these fundamental risks seriously due to being distracted by current political dramas.
“That is why today I am calling on the Prime Minister to establish a dedicated Climate Protection Unit in Number 10, with the sole purpose of working cross-department to drive forward the recommendations in this report.
“Because this report must mark a turning point. The Government must take concrete steps now to protect people’s lives and ensure our country is properly prepared for the growing risks posed by extreme heat, flooding and food shortages.
“That means investing in flood defences and nature-based solutions, preparing for extreme heat with a big focus on adapting our homes and workplaces, providing tangible support for farmers to ensure farming remains viable, and urgently adapting our infrastructure to prevent snowballing disruption across every facet of daily life.
“If ministers fail to take real action and deliver before the next general election, they will knowingly be putting lives at risk. The Government has been handed a plan. It is now vital they deliver it.”
