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Helping More Communities Build Climate Resilience

Natalie Barnett, Climate Adaptation Officer, explains how local communities across Somerset are taking climate adaptation into their own hands with support from our Act to Adapt programme.

The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has released its 2025 Progress in Adapting to Climate Change report, with a stark warning: the UK's preparations for climate change remain "inadequate."

Despite increasing climate impacts affecting communities across the country, the report found that adaptation delivery is limited, and planning continues to be piecemeal. According to the CCC, "adaptation progress is either too slow, has stalled, or is heading in the wrong direction."

These findings come as Somerset experiences the extreme weather patterns that climate scientists have long predicted. While the period between October 2022 and March 2024 was the wettest 18-months on record for England with significant flooding across Somerset, 2025 has started with concerning drought conditions.

The first four months of 2025 have been exceptionally dry, with rainfall across Somerset at just 65% of the long-term average. According to Met Office data, some parts of Somerset received less than 40mm of rainfall in March 2025, compared to the average of 85-90mm. Soil moisture levels are significantly below normal for this time of year, raising concerns for agriculture, wildlife habitats, and water supplies as we move into summer.

This rapid swing from extreme wet to dry conditions exemplifies exactly the kind of climate volatility that adaptation planning needs to address, highlighting the urgency of the CCC's findings and the importance of local adaptation measures.
While national adaptation efforts may be lagging, here in Somerset, local communities are taking matters into their own hands with support from our Act to Adapt programme.

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Since 2023, Somerset Wildlife Trust has been working with communities across the county to develop bespoke Climate Adaptation Plans. These plans are co-created with local residents and focus on practical actions that help their communities become more resilient to climate impacts.

The CCC report highlights that "without additional adaptation now, UK policy will increasingly lock-in future climate risks or make these risks worse." Our Act to Adapt programme aims to address this gap by empowering communities to identify local climate vulnerabilities and implement solutions tailored to their specific needs.

Over the past year, we've supported communities in Minehead, Wells, the Poldens, Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, Glastonbury, the Under Hamdon parishes, Spaxton and Frome to create their own Climate Adaptation Plans that can be seen here. Each plan reflects local priorities and includes practical actions to address key climate risks.

Common themes have emerged across these plans:

  • Improving and increasing green spaces - Communities are prioritising tree planting, creating wildlife corridors, and implementing sustainable drainage systems to reduce flood risk while enhancing biodiversity.
  • Adapting to flooding - With increasing flood risks, communities are developing strategies for improved drainage maintenance, water retention solutions, and community flood response.
  • Building local climate knowledge and action - Sharing knowledge and raising awareness about climate impacts and adaptation options is a priority for many communities.
  • Linking climate risks to local policies - Communities are working to ensure climate adaptation is integrated into local planning and decision-making processes.

The CCC report emphasises that "it is now critical that good quality adaptation is undertaken at scale and at speed" to ensure climate risks are managed efficiently and at least cost. This aligns perfectly with the ethos of our Act to Adapt programme.

As communities begin implementing their adaptation plans, Somerset Wildlife Trust will continue supporting them with guidance, resources, and connections to relevant expertise. We're also expanding the programme to new areas, helping more communities build their climate resilience.

The message from both the CCC report and our experience on the ground is clear: adapting to climate change cannot wait. While national progress may be slow, Somerset communities are showing that local action can make a real difference.

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