Climate change in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom's climate is changing, with hotter drier summers and warmer wetter winters. Storms, floods, droughts and heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense, and sea level rise is affecting coastal areas. The UK is also a contributor to climate change, having emitted more greenhouse gas per person than the world average. Climate change is having economic effects on the UK and presents risks to human health and ecosystems.

The UK has more than halved its greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, and under the Paris Agreement has committed to net zero emissions by 2050, via a series of carbon budgets. Parliament passed Acts related to climate change in 2006 and 2008, the latter being the first time a government legally mandated a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. The UK Climate Change Programme was established in 2000 and the Climate Change Committee provides policy advice towards mitigation targets. In 2019, Parliament declared a 'climate change emergency'. The country phased out coal power in 2024. The UK has been prominent in international cooperation on climate change, including through UN conferences and during its European Union membership.

Climate change has been discussed by British politicians since the late 20th century, but it has attracted greater political, public and media attention in the UK from the 2000s, with the commitment to net zero now opposed by some political parties. Public opinion polls show concern amongst the majority of Britons. Various climate change activism initiatives have taken place in the UK.