UK Inquiry Tracker

Climate adaptation and emergency response

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee Open Inquiry

Opened: 9 Sep 2025 Parliament page

The UK is facing increasingly frequent and severe environmental and weather-related events, including storms, flooding, heatwaves and wildfires. These, and other weather and climate related events, pose growing risks to public health, infrastructure, food production, and the natural environment. The Climate Change Committee has reported that long-term economic output could … Read more The UK is facing increasingly frequent and severe environmental and weather-related events, including storms, flooding, heatwaves and wildfires. These, and other weather and climate related events, pose growing risks to public health, infrastructure, food production, and the natural environment. The Climate Change Committee has reported that long-term economic output could fall by up to 7% due to environmental disruption. The Government is legally required to assess climate-related risks and publish a programme (the National Adaptation Programme) every five years setting out how it will address them. Our ability to adapt effectively as a country will be critical to our long-term resilience. Defra leads on adaptation and resilience in England and coordinates the Government’s response to major incidents, including extreme weather and natural hazards. Reducing the risk and impact of flooding and coastal erosion on people, communities, and the environment has been specified as one of Defra’s four priority outcomes. This long-term inquiry will examine how well the UK is preparing for and responding to environmental and weather-related risks such as landslips, wildfires, drought and coastal erosion. It will explore the effectiveness of national strategies, the integration of resilience into wider planning and investment decisions, and the adequacy of current systems to protect people, places and nature. The inquiry will also consider the Government’s capacity to respond to major emergencies, including both natural hazards and recovery from incidents that cause environmental damage. This will encompass the capacity of local authorities, emergency services, and communities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from such events. The Committee will call for evidence on a regular basis and produce iterative and focused reports throughout the inquiry. Topics for scrutiny will include, but are not limited to: The nature and scale of changing climate and weather risks to communities and the economy. The effectiveness of natural hazard risk and emergency response, for example to wildfires, land slips and storms. Resilience to extreme weather including heatwaves, drought and increased rainfall. Climate adaptation and nature-based solutions. Resilience of critical national infrastructure including food and water security. Incident recovery and response to domestic environmental disasters including impact on local emergency services. Impact and mitigation of coastal erosion and sea level rise. How land use changes can affect the impact of climate and weather-related events. Local government and community response to weather and climate events Risks and impact of climate and weather events associated with food production. Departmental responsibilities and co-ordination of cross-government impacts of climate and extreme weather, including health, transport, housing and human costs. If you have information or evidence which may be of interest to the Committee, please contact: efracom@parliament.uk Show less

1 Written submission

9 Recommendations

6 Conclusions

1 Report

3 Oral sessions

5 Letters

3 Events

Activity timeline 11 events

15 Sep
2026

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

8 Sep
2026

Written evidence · CWR0258

Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and Peak District Moorland Group

8 Sep
2026

Correspondence

Correspondence from Minister Creagh regarding heather and grass burning regulations, dated 17 July 2026

8 Sep
2026

Correspondence

Correspondence from The Moorland Association regarding NEER155, Natural England’s evidence review on the effects of managed burning on upla…

8 Sep
2026

Correspondence

Correspondence from Prof Sallie Bailey, Chief Scientist, Natural England following her appearance before the Committee on 23 June, dated 10…

7 Jul
2026

Correspondence

Correspondence to Emma Reynolds, Secretary of State, Defra regarding managed burning licencing and wildfires, dated 7 July 2026

23 Jun
2026

Oral evidence

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; EFRA Committee

22 Jun
2026

Report published

1st Special Report - Erosion of trust: the impact of coastal erosion on communities: Government Response

20 Mar
2026

Report published

6th Report - Erosion of trust: the impact of coastal erosion on communities

17 Mar
2026

Correspondence

Correspondence from Climate Vision Regarding the Debate: “Extreme Climate and Weather Events: National Resilience”, dated 11 March 2026

18 Nov
2025

Oral evidence

EFRA Committee

Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions

15 Sep 2026

View on parliament.uk

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Gabrielle Edwards · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Jenny Riddell-Carpenter MP · Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Peter Lee · Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government The Baroness Blake of Leeds CBE · Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government

23 Jun 2026

View on parliament.uk

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs; EFRA Committee

Henrietta Appleton · Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust Phil Garrigan OBE KSFM · National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) Professor Emma Howard Boyd CBE · National Heat Risk Commission Professor Sallie Bailey · Natural England Richard Bailey · Peak District moorland group Rob Gazzard MICFor MRICS · Forestry Commission

18 Nov 2025

View on parliament.uk

EFRA Committee

Jaap Flikweert · Haskoning Julie Foley · Environment Agency Karen Thomas · East Suffolk Council Natasha Dix · Isle of Wight Council Richard Jackson · East Riding of Yorkshire Council Rob Goodliffe · North Norfolk District Council

Written evidence 1 submission recorded

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Reference	Date	Submitter
CWR0258 Full text not held	8 Sep 2026	Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust and Peak District Moorland Group

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Title	HC No.	Published	Items	Response
6th Report - Erosion of trust: the impact of coastal erosion on …	HC 1317	20 Mar 2026	15	Response document linked

Recommendations & Conclusions

15 results

1 Conclusion

6th Report - Erosion of trust: the…

Coastal erosion and landslides have profound and far reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities.

Coastal erosion and landslides have profound and far reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities. While the physical loss of homes, buildings, and infrastructure is visible and measurable, the broader human and social impacts are equally severe but are not … Read more

Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Climate adaptation and emergency response

Activity timeline 11 events

Oral evidence sessions 3 sessions

Written evidence 1 submission recorded

Reports 1 report · click to expand

Recommendations & Conclusions

Coastal erosion and landslides have profound and far reaching consequences for individuals, families, and communities.

Defra should, in its response to this report, set out how it recognises and incorporates...

The estate agent and conveyancing processes fail to reliably identify or disclose coastal erosion and...

Coastal erosion and landslide risk should be included as material information in conveyancing, and the...

Communities affected by coastal erosion and landslides face significant financial vulnerability due to the lack...

Defra should work with insurers to commission a review into feasibility of implementing a Flood...

The restriction in eligibility for the Coastal Erosion Assistance Grant (CEAG) to properties purchased before...

Defra should commit to reviewing the current 2009 property purchase qualifying date and value of...

Innovative adaptation measures, including property purchase and relocation schemes, have been successfully piloted through the...

When the CTAP pilot concludes in 2027, Defra should move away from a selective piloting...

Shoreline Management Plans (SMPs) are not consistently integrated into Local Plans, resulting in planning decisions...

The Environment Agency should work with MHCLG to strengthen the role of SMPs within Local...

Past FCERM funding arrangements have limited support for coastal management by relying on narrow benefit...

In its response, Defra should provide a plan setting out how wider nonmonetised benefits for...

In response to this report the Government should publish an indicative ratio or allocation range...

Correspondence 5 letters