A statement from Mark Lloyd, Chief Executive, in response to the Climate Change Committee’s latest adaptation report

“The Climate Change Committee’s report highlights the drastic economic and social cost that will arise in the coming decades due to our lack of resilience. Urgent and widespread action is needed to slow the flow of water through the landscape to reduce flood risk and restore groundwater aquifers so that they can keep rivers flowing, and taps running, during times of drought. This involves actions such as restoring healthy soils, planting more trees, re-wiggling straightened rivers, reducing livestock numbers, restoring wetlands and ponds and installing sustainable drainage schemes as standard in all new developments.

“This is not work that can be put off until the future, it needs to start immediately and at scale, or we will pay a huge price.  These actions will also make a major contribution to reversing the rapid decline in wildlife, greening urban areas, reducing water pollution from agriculture and meeting our net zero obligations.”

The Climate Change Committee’s report can be downloaded here: https://www.theccc.org.uk/2025/04/30/the-country-is-not-prepared-for-climate-impacts-say-advisors/