Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what degree of global temperature increase his Department's climate adaptation plans are intended for.

Defra is the lead department for domestic adaptation to climate change, and as such it is responsible for coordinating requirements set out in the UK Climate Change Act 2008. Defra is the owning department for about half of the 61 risks and opportunities identified in the third Climate Change Risk Assessment (CCRA3) and works closely with the departments who own the remaining risks.

The assessment of risks and opportunities in CCRA3 was based on global warming scenarios of 2ºC and 4ºC. The Government’s climate adaptation plans, as set out in the third National Adaptation Programme, follow the advice of the Climate Change Committee to plan for 2ºC. The Government remains flexible and responsive in our its approach, assessing for different scenarios.

The department is exploring how to set out stronger objectives to drive action to increase our preparedness for the impacts of climate change up to and beyond the next National Adaptation Programme in 2028.