Adapt or die: Why progressives need to deal with extreme weather

This report outlines how increasingly frequent and severe extreme weather events—flooding, storms, heatwaves and wildfires—are already undermining the UK’s public services, economic stability and political cohesion. It explains why progressives must urgently integrate climate change adaptation into their governing agenda to reduce disaster risk, protect communities and maintain public trust. Drawing on polling, case studies and climate projections, the report examines how climate impacts threaten progressive goals, how low public salience exacerbates vulnerability, and how the populist right exploits both acute and chronic climate risks. 

The report recommends a pragmatic, people‑centred approach to adaptation that reduces immediate climate risks while reinforcing long‑term mitigation efforts. It calls for investment in resilient infrastructure, clearer climate‑risk data, stronger regulatory requirements for preparedness, and policies that explicitly protect those least able to adapt. Progressives are encouraged to frame adaptation as prudent economic management, tie messages to real‑world impacts on schools, health services and livelihoods, and design policies that make climate risks visible without penalising individuals.