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LONDON — The British Environment Agency issued a stern warning Wednesday to world leaders of the need for decisive action to tackle climate change ahead of the UN summit in Glasgow this month. when are the delegates from almost any country will discuss strategies to overcome global warming.
“Adapt or die,” said Emma Howard Boyd, head of government office. In a report to the British government.
The recommendations follow a summer of extreme weather in Europe resulting from deadly weather conditions. fires in greece with Severe flooding in Belgium and Germany what the experts say fueled by climate change. The UK and other countries in the region experience it more often drought, heat waves and floods In recent years, disasters have taken home the message that a warmer world is impacting. richer and poorer countries similar and will only get worse.
like a deadly flood what happened in germany this summer No matter how high the country’s flood defenses will happen in the UK sooner or later, Ms Boyd warned of making sweeping adaptations to make homes, communities and businesses more resilient to increasingly severe weather conditions.
“While mitigation can save the planet, it’s adaptation that prepares for climate shocks that will save millions of lives,” he said. The report warned that environmental regulations have yet to keep up with the changing climate.
Even if countries manage to reach their goal limiting the average temperature rise to two degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels – target set 2015 Paris Agreement — In the 2050s, winter precipitation is still expected to increase by 6 percent and summer precipitation is expected to decrease by 15 percent, compared to the last two decades of the previous millennium, the report said.
The report warned that around four million people and around 200 billion pounds or $272 billion in assets in the UK would face the risk of flooding caused by global warming if no action was taken.
In some cases, access to clean water in the UK will become even more difficult. The report said that unless further action is taken, demand for public water supplies in the UK will outpace supply in the 2050s due to droughts and other effects of climate change.
The environment agency said it is working with government, businesses and communities to support flooding and coastal defense over the next six years, investing £5.2bn, or about $7bn. He also said he has developed a national framework to manage the water supply and created an environmental restoration fund of $870 million.
But with the number of properties built in the UK’s floodplains expected to double by 2065, the agency said it alone could not protect everyone from increased flood risks. Instead, he urged communities and businesses to invest in finding ways to live with risks and minimize potential harm, such as financing “flood resilience” rather than preventing and restoring wildlife and ecosystems.
Experts said the report is a reminder of the need for more urgent preparations.
“There is a gap in the implementation of measures on the ground. “We still don’t see enough being done,” said Lorraine Whitmarsh, professor of environmental psychology at the University of Bath. The inevitability of extreme weather means that adaptation measures are as important as mitigation, he added.
The need for adaptation was already felt by poorer countries, including some island countries vulnerable to rising sea levels.
Bernard Aryeetey, Director of International Relations WaterAid, an international charity that provides clean water in several countries, said the warning to adapt or die is a reality that millions of the world’s poorest people have faced for decades.
“The worrying news that these devastating effects will reach our shores should be a rallying call to the G-20 leaders to hand over the money for the adaptation they’ve been promising for so many years,” Mr Aryeetey said, urging Britain to handle the blame.
Lecturer on climate change mitigation at the University of Bath, Dr. Rick Lupton said reducing emissions remains a critical priority.
“The faster we can cut emissions now, the more we can avoid the worst future climate change events,” he said.
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