Introduction
The third goal of our Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy is to ensure our county is ‘prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of climate change’.
This is an increasingly urgent challenge and one that Somerset is particularly vulnerable to.
The growing challenge
Somerset is one of the most climate-vulnerable areas in the UK. Our landscape is low lying, flat, and coastal, which makes us highly susceptible to flooding as sea levels rise and extreme weather events become more frequent and severe. These pressures pose risks to homes, businesses, infrastructure, transport routes, and power networks. As an agricultural county, our economy, food production, and rural livelihoods are also significantly at risk.
These threats are no longer distant possibilities; they are already being felt. The Major Incident declared during the 2026 flooding in Somerset demonstrated just how quickly climate impacts are escalating and how essential it is that we adapt.
Our approach to climate change adaptation and resilience
Because of this, climate adaptation and resilience is becoming a growing and essential area of work for Somerset Council. We are acting to better understand the risks, strengthen our communities, protect our environment, and prepare for the climate challenges ahead.
This document outlines current and future climate related risks, the actions needed to improve resilience, and highlights some of the work already underway across the county.
How we are working with communities: Act Together to Adapt Project
In cooperation with Somerset Wildlife Trust and the University of Bristol, we have begun a 12-month project (March 2026 to February 2027) looking at scaling community-led adaptation through Somerset Council. The “Act Together to Adapt” project is funded by the Maximising UK Adaptation to Climate Change (MACC) Hub Flexible Fund.
Communities across Somerset are already planning for climate change. Through Somerset Wildlife Trust’s Act to Adapt programme, local communities are using local knowledge to create tailored Community Climate Adaptation Plans. These plans detail how they will respond to climate change in their local area.
Through workshops, focus groups and interviews, we are working on the Act Together to Adapt project. This work is helping us find ways to:
- build these plans into council planning and policy
- make sure community priorities shape decisions
- involve local people more in climate issues
- track progress and understand what is working