World-first taskforce to protect communities from climate change

Communities across the UK will be better protected against the growing threats of climate change, as the world’s first Climate and Nature Security Taskforce met for the first time this week.

The taskforce will make independent recommendations to help shape government’s approach to tackling national and international climate security challenges, and to help ensure Britain can best prepare itself for the climate crisis.

The Minister for Climate Transition, Katie White, will chair the inaugural meeting, alongside Baroness Fiona Twycross. The taskforce brings together experts from across the fields of climate, nature and security to assess the UK’s readiness for security challenges created by climate change and nature loss – including General Richard Nugee, Comfort Ero, President of the International Crisis Group and Rosie Hails, Director of Science for the National Trust.  

The taskforce will establish the most significant climate and nature security risks facing the UK and define a clear vision for a more climate- and nature-secure UK.  This comes as the UK has experienced a series of extreme weather events over the past year, including record-breaking heatwaves, severe drought conditions, wildfires and rising flood risks.

Minister for Climate Transition, Katie White, said: 

This summer, we saw homes destroyed, families evacuated and huge stretches of our British countryside scorched by wildfires. Climate change isn’t some distant problem to worry about tomorrow, it’s happening right now.