Politics
Olivia Blake: ‘Can climate adaptation strengthen UK national security?’
We are at a critical juncture marked by growing global uncertainty. The institutions and mechanisms that once sustained the post war era are being weakened or dismantled, with consequences that are no longer distant or abstract but increasingly felt by our constituents here at home.
But responding to this upheaval means recognising that today’s national security threats are deeply intertwined with climate change and ecosystem breakdown. As the world moves closer to dangerous tipping points, the risks of food insecurity, conflict and resource scarcity grow, further destabilising the international system and feeding directly into the pressures communities are already experiencing.
These pressures are compounded by president Trump’s withdrawal from key climate agreements, with the fracturing of international cooperation now accelerating the destruction of the ecosystems that sustain us all here in the UK.
As the government’s own national security assessment warned, every global critical ecosystem we depend on is now on a path towards collapse. This would mean failing crops, soaring food bills, economic insecurity, and a much higher risk of pandemics. The threat is not limited to countries: the recent IPBES assessment in Manchester found that every business relies on nature’s services and faces existential risk if it does not actively protect and restore ecosystems.
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It’s this impact of ecosystem breakdown on UK security and prosperity that means we must urgently raise our ambition to protect our constituents’ homes, livelihoods and finances. Preparedness must be built into policy from the outset, recognising the climate impacts we will be facing in the future, not just today, and enabling nature-based solutions and restoration to be delivered at a far greater pace and scale, as one of our most powerful tools for protecting people.
This does not replace our ambitious mitigation goals and our clean energy superpower mission; instead it recognises today’s realities and our responsibility to safeguard the public and the economy. As former senior military commander Lieutenant General Richard Nugee recently observed at the national emergency Briefing, we must confront threats as they are, not as we wish them to be.
Increasing our ambition on adaptation faces this threat, but it is also an opportunity to define a clear mission that delivers tangible benefits for communities across the UK and demonstrates the capacity to act decisively. We know that responding to the climate and nature crises has huge economic benefits, but at a time of eroding trust and rising public demand for change, rolling out adaptation measures is among the most powerful ways to improve people’s everyday lives here and now.
From keeping local sports pitches playable and safeguarding commuter routes, to supporting farmers’ livelihoods while easing the food inflation that has strained household budgets. These are the changes that can make a meaningful difference for millions across Britain. They shift the focus away from abstract growth figures and towards the everyday. Adaptation measures may sound technical, but simply put, they will help to lower household costs, protect communities from extreme weather and limit the disruption to people’s lives.
This is also a depolarising approach to climate and nature action. Every one of us here in parliament represents communities already experiencing the effects of extreme weather, and protecting the people we serve must rise above party politics. As polling consistently shows, we are a nature-proud nation and by restoring our natural environment, we not only reduce the risk of climate shocks but also safeguard the places we proudly call home.
As chair of the newly formed Climate and Nature Crisis Caucus, I am determined that climate adaptation is firmly on the political agenda. This is not a battle between mitigation or adaptation, it is recognising that they must be done together, as the impacts of extreme weather are happening now and will get worse, whether we like it or not.
The government should show bold leadership and make this case, confronting the opposition head on. The future security and prosperity of the UK is at stake. We must call out those who seek to delay or distract, those who are sowing division for personal gain rather than protecting and bringing our communities together.
We are fortunate that the British public strongly support action on climate and nature, often more than we in parliament realise. We must not take that support for granted. To ensure that climate denialism does not take root in our politics, the benefits of addressing climate change and biodiversity loss must be tangible – and felt quickly. Adaptation is the key: safeguarding communities, restoring trust, and securing our future.
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