GSDI: United Kingdom

The United Kingdom is an island nation in the North Atlantic. Because of its heavily indented coastline, no location is more than 125 km from tidal waters, leaving it vulnerable to coastal erosion, a rise in sea levels, and increasingly common extreme storms.

The government’s latest climate change risk assessment identifies flood risk, and particularly flooding from heavy downpours, as one of the key climate threats for the UK, alongside stresses on water resources, threats to biodiversity and natural habitats, and the repercussions for the UK from climate change impacts abroad. Extreme flood events could become more frequent and severe, putting homes, businesses and infrastructure at greater risk.

Country: United Kingdom

Region: Europe

ASP Assessment:

Vulnerability: Medium

Perception of Climate Change: Security Threat

Capacity: High

Preparedness: High

Overall Assessment: Excellent

Full Report:

Global Security Defense Index on Climate Change – UK 2014 by The American Security Project