Climate change impacts and resilience

Adaptation refers to processes put in place or actions taken to adjust to the current and future impacts of a changing climate, while resilience is defined as the capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impacts of climatic events.

The impacts of rising temperatures and the increasing intensity and frequency of extreme weather events include negative physiological effects, increased food insecurity, greater spread of infectious diseases, and greater psychological trauma.

This topic covers the evidence for climate change, the contribution of humans to global temperature rise and its social, economic and environmental impacts. 

Climate change is causing both economic and non-economic loss and damage through extreme weather events and slow-onset events (such as sea level rise and desertification).

This topic covers measures that national and local government and businesses in the UK could take to adapt to the current and likely future impacts of climate change.