This House of Lords Library Briefing has been prepared in advance of the debate due to take place on 24 January 2019 in the House of Lords on the motion moved by Lord Teverson (Liberal Democrat), “that this House takes note of the threats presented by climate change”.
Threats Presented by Climate Change (355KB PDF)
This briefing considers risks arising from climate change—identified as increasing at both global and national level—and summarises recent coordination efforts and programmes intended to mitigate them. International bodies charged with examining the scientific evidence have identified risks associated with:
• changing weather;
• rising sea levels;
• land and marine-based biodiversity and ecosystems; and
• human systems such as health, security and the economy.
Negotiations on how to meet these challenges have continued, most recently at a United Nations summit in Katowice, Poland, held in December 2018.
The UK has identified several priority climate risk areas including:
• flooding and coastal change;
• health, wellbeing and productivity;
• water supply shortages;
• natural ecosystems, soils and biodiversity;
• food production and trade; and
• new and emerging pests and diseases.
A selection of recommended reading, including detailed evidence reports, is identified at the end of the briefing for further information on this broad and evolving subject.
Threats Presented by Climate Change (355KB PDF)
The Nature’s Rights Bill [HL] is a private member’s bill sponsored by Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green Party). The bill would recognise nature as a legal subject, granting it specific rights for protection and restoration. The bill would set out a legal framework for how this would operate, including an integrated rights framework and mechanisms for how nature’s rights would be implemented and enforced.
![Nature’s Rights Bill [HL]: HL Bill 7 of 2026–27](https://lordslibrary-parliament.studio24.dev/content/uploads/sites/2/2020/09/Environment-568x426.png)
Rural areas contribute a significant proportion of England’s economic output. The government has announced several policies intended to support growth in the rural economy, including farming. However, it has faced criticism for the delay in outlining its overall strategy for the agricultural sector. This briefing provides data on the rural economy and summarises government policy and stakeholder reaction
In recent years, electricity prices for both households and businesses have seen significant increases. This briefing sets out how electricity bills are calculated, how much on average they cost and how they compare internationally. It also provides commentary on why prices have been so high and gives an overview of government policy in this area.
