Written by Dr Phil Hampshire
On Friday, 6th January, the European Copernicus Climate Service confirmed a sobering milestone: 2024 is the first calendar year to exceed the critical 1.5°C global temperature threshold. This marks a significant turning point in our global climate crisis, underscoring the urgent need for adaptation and action.
Global surface air temperature increase (°C) above the average for the pre-industrial reference period (1850–1900) for each month from January 1940 to December 2024, plotted as time series for each year. 2024 is shown as a thick red line and 2023 as a thick pink line, while other years are shown with thin lines and shaded according to the decade, from blue (1940s) to red (2020s). Data source: ERA5. Credit: C3S / ECMWF.
As we reflect on this development, wildfires are ravaging Los Angeles, destroying homes, disrupting industries, and releasing vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere, further intensifying global warming. While less affluent regions often bear the brunt of climate impacts, such events illustrate that even wealthier areas are far from immune.
Californian Wildfire
Closer to home, the 2023–24 UK storm season has been the most active since the Met Office began naming storms in 2015, with a record-breaking 12 named storms causing widespread disruption. By mid-2024, UK insurers reported an unprecedented £1.4 billion in weather-related claims, driven by severe flooding, storm damage, and even wildfires. These numbers highlight not only the rising physical risks but also the financial toll of climate change, reinforcing the need for resilience planning across all sectors. Four major storms—Ashley, Bert, Conall, and Darragh—have already severely impacted communities and infrastructure this season.
Storm destroyed forest in Upper Coquetdale in the Cheviot Hills close to the Scottish Border in Northumberland National Park
Bridging the Gap Between Awareness and Action
Public awareness of climate risks continues to grow. Over the past five years, Google searches for terms like "climate change adaptation" have increased by over 110%, reflecting heightened concern. Yet despite this, meaningful action is largely limited to forward-thinking organisations.
Our work with diverse clients—from local single-site operations to global portfolios and operations—reveals stark variability in readiness. Few organisations conduct robust scenario analyses or embed climate adaptation into their strategic planning beyond compliance obligations.
In our blog on Sustainability in 2025, we predicted that climate adaptation would become a central focus for organisations. Now, with 2024 breaking records as the hottest year on record and ongoing extreme weather events driving global and domestic impacts, this prediction has become a pressing reality.
What Can You Do?
From our experience, addressing the growing physical and transitional risks of climate change requires organisations to:
Assess climate risks: Evaluate how climate events could affect assets, supply chains, and operations.
Plan for resilience: Integrate climate adaptation into strategic and operational planning.
Align with reporting frameworks: Use frameworks like the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) to meet mandatory reporting requirements.
Embrace innovation: Leverage tools such as our Landarna platform to map assets, assess risks, and identify opportunities using geospatial datasets.
How We Can Help
“We have supported organisations ranging from local operations to international portfolios, as well as working with leading climate experts and contributors to IPCC research to build resilience and sustainable strategies.”
At 3ADAPT, we are committed to helping organisations prepare for the challenges of a changing climate. If you're ready to explore your organisation’s climate readiness, we offer a Climate Change Adaptation Maturity Assessment to help identify gaps and opportunities. This assessment enables us to tailor support to enhance resilience and ensure your organisation thrives in a changing climate.
About the Author
Phil Hampshire is the Director and Co-founder of 3ADAPT, a sustainability consultancy and software agency specialising in climate adaptation, carbon management, biodiversity, and land-use strategies. With an EngD doctorate and extensive experience in sustainability, Phil helps organisations navigate complex challenges through data-informed, people-focused solutions. His work has supported leading institutions, businesses, and public sector bodies to integrate sustainability into decision-making and achieve measurable environmental and social outcomes.
