The UK must brace for the consequences of warming of at least 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2050, experts have warned, urging the government to take urgent action to deal with heatwaves, droughts and floods.
“It is clear that we are not prepared to deal with current weather and climate change, let alone those expected in the coming decades,” the Committee on Climate Change, an independent advisory body, wrote in a letter to the government.
Climate change adaptation goals should be met “by 2050 at the latest” and should “prepare the country for the extreme weather events that will occur if global warming reaches 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2050,” the letter states, notes Noi.md with reference to .
Experts listed the consequences of this warming: “more frequent and more widespread” heatwaves, droughts that could double in number compared to the 1981-2010 period and floods – the level of some rivers could increase by 40%.
Also in the 2 degrees Celsius warming scenario, sea level rise will continue to accelerate, by 15 to 25 centimeters, threatening British coastal cities.
The warning comes as the UK, like other countries, experienced the most intense heatwave on record this summer.
Currently, the climate is already, on average, 1.4 degrees Celsius warmer, according to the European Copernicus Observatory. According to the UN, 2024 was the hottest year on record, marked by massive fires, floods and deadly heat waves.
