UK homes unfit for challenges of climate change
The Committee of Climate Change (CCC) publishes new report assessing whether UK homes are adequately prepared for the challenges of climate change. The report places a focus on the levels of emissions coming from UK homes as well as ensuring homes are sufficiently prepared for the impacts of climate change.
The CCC says, “Government must act now to improve the quality of UK homes to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to safeguard our comfort, health and wellbeing as the climate changes”
The key findings of the report are that:
• The UK’s legally-binding climate change targets will not be met without the near-complete elimination of greenhouse gas emissions from UK buildings.
• Emissions reductions from the UK’s 29 million homes have stalled, while energy use in homes – which accounts for 14% of total UK emissions – increased between 2016 and 2017.
• Efforts to adapt the UK’s housing stock to the impacts of the changing climate: for higher average temperatures, flooding and water scarcity, are lagging far behind what is needed to keep us safe and comfortable, even as these climate change risks grow.
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