Zero Hour Criticizes UK Government Over Climate Adaptation Gap

Amy McDonnell, co-executive director of Zero Hour, criticized the United Kingdom government for failing to address the scale of the climate and nature crisis. She highlighted a significant resource gap within the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, noting that only 20 out of 6,600 staff members are dedicated to climate adaptation.

This lack of preparation comes as the country faces extreme weather events, including wildfires, droughts, and extreme heat that has resulted in more than 2,700 deaths. McDonnell argued that climate adaptation is a whole-of-government issue and questioned why the government has not appointed a dedicated resilience and adaptation minister or commissioner to oversee departmental preparations and protect vulnerable communities.