Police and partner preparedness for climate change in England and Wales

The UK government has been criticised for being ‘off track’ to meet its own climate change related aims and targets, as domestic policy continues to invest in and subsidise fossil fuel extraction and combustion related industries, mitigation interventions are weakened, and market-reliant policy setting, implementation and regulation fails to meaningfully address the problem (Climate Change Committee, 2023; Kuzemko, 2022; Somerville, 2021). Meanwhile, the adverse cascading ‘consequences of consequences’ of climate change – public health crises; fuel and energy deficits; food insecurity; national security conflicts; organised crime; vulnerable populations; forced migration with climate ‘refugees’ fleeing environmental and societal decay in search of safety and stability, and key infrastructure degradation – are starting to be felt not just globally but in the local communities in England and Wales. Their criminogenic potential and the threat posed to human security are acknowledged at strategic level in reviews of future operating environment and structural trends shaping public safety in the next few decades (College of Policing, 2020, Police Foundation, 2020, 2022). If and how this strategic awareness translates into operational planning and preparedness among the police and its key partners, however, is much less well understood; something the current paper aims to address. It reports on a small-scale scoping study of 13 participants involved in strategic, tactical, and operational levels of risk assessment, planning, management, response and service delivery within police and key partner agencies. Thematic analysis of interview data revealed four key themes: awareness of climate change impacts; why the police should care; prioritisation and preparation, and various enabling and impeding factors. The results suggest that preparedness for climate change impacts is hampered by a narrow focus on legislated requirements, short-term planning, lack of funding and resources, and limited prescience. Recommendations centre on redefining planning parameters, strengthening central government engagement, amplifying awareness and understanding of trend analyses, prioritisation of ‘futures’ thinking, ethical considerations, and collaborative preparedness.