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National security challenges: climate change, flooding

Smoke stacksThe Prime Minister today announced the publication of the first National Security Strategy for the United Kingdom. The strategy highlights the nature of the UK’s security priorities – including the challenges faced by climate change and the risk of flooding. It also looks at how they have changed and how we are responding.

Environment Secretary, Hilary Benn, said:

"Climate change is a security issue. The prospect of water shortages, sea level rise and environmental refugees threatens our international stability and prosperity, so we must take urgent action now to safeguard our future.

"The UK is leading the way around the world, developing our own low-carbon domestic economy and working internationally to keep the rise in global temperatures below a target of 2 degrees Celsius. Our Climate Change Bill will help us do both of these things."

The strategy sets out key priorities for the environment and energy:

  • working internationally to keep the rise in global temperatures below a target of 2°C;
  • continuing the United Kingdom’s progress towards a low-carbon domestic economy;
  • developing the global carbon market;
  • working towards a global commitment from the private sector to leverage capital to foster low carbon growth and prevent deforestation;
  • improving understanding of the development and security implications of climate change and resource availability pressures;
  • contributing £800 million through the United Kingdom Environmental Transformation Fund to assist developing countries tackle climate change;
  • to establish a global investment framework for climate change mitigation and adaptation;
  • seeking to strengthen UN institutions for climate change and the environment; and
  • seeking to ensure that all countries have an effective national adaptation plan to adapt to unavoidable climate change.

The strategy also looks at priorities for flood risk management:

  • continuing to increase expenditure on flood and coastal erosion risk management in England from £600 million in 2007/08 to £800 million in 2010/11.  This will continue and develop the investment over previous years which has improved our physical defences and flood warning systems;
  • taking forward the recommendations of the Pitt Review on a programme to reduce the risk and impact of flooding in the future;
  • implementing the Environment Agency’s strategic overview arrangements for all types of flooding inland and flooding from the sea/coastal erosion;
  • developing better institutional arrangements for surface water management, including surface water management plans and integrated urban drainage pilots;
  • improving overall emergency response capability to respond to flood events, including arrangements to protect critical infrastructure and essential services;
  • ensuring that where new development is necessary and can't be located in lower risk areas it is appropriate and safe, does not increase flood risk elsewhere and employs flood resilient designs and construction methods to minimise the risk; and
  • strategic planning for flood and coastal erosion risk management, through Shoreline Management Plans and Catchment Flood Management Plans, which provide a framework for long term consideration of adaptation in relation to climate change risks.

Further information, including the National Security Strategy report, is available on the Cabinet Office website.

Page published: 19 March 2008