Legal Action Targets UK’s Climate Strategy, Alleging Breach of Human Rights

The European Court of Human Rights is being asked to consider a challenge to the UK’s climate adaptation efforts. Friends of the Earth argues that the government’s current plans fall far short of what’s needed to shield people from the worsening impacts of extreme weather.

The NGO is pursuing this legal case with support from law firm Leigh Day and two individuals who have personally experienced the consequences of inaction: disability rights advocate Doug Paulley and Kevin Jordan, a resident of Hemsby, Norfolk, whose home was demolished in 2023 due to severe coastal erosion.

Paulley and Jordan say the government has failed to meet its legal obligations under the UK’s 2008 Climate Change Act. That legislation, along with related laws, requires officials to pay special attention to groups most vulnerable to climate impacts. We're talking about older people, disabled individuals, and those living in areas at high risk from climate events.

Friends of the Earth’s head of legal, Will Rundle, said: “The UK needs a clear, effective, and adequately funded adaptation strategy, one that recognises the increasing threats to all of us, and prioritises the safety and dignity of the most vulnerable.

“Right now, adaptation efforts are lagging dangerously behind the escalating threats of storms, floods, and heatwaves – to name just a few. With millions already at risk, we urgently need a plan that’s up to the challenge.”

This isn't Friends of the Earth's first attempt. The group had previously challenged the UK Government’s National Adaptation Programme for 2023-2028 in the High Court. The court ruled the programme lawful, but the environmental campaigners believe it still violates the rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights. That’s the crux of their new case at the European Court.

They’re not alone in raising alarm bells. In 2024, the European Court ruled that Switzerland’s climate policies were too weak to comply with the Convention. And just recently, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights issued an advisory opinion stating that all people have a right to a healthy climate and environment. The legal landscape is shifting.

Back at home, the UK’s own Climate Change Committee has been blunt. According to the Committee, the country is “not ready at all” for the risks posed by climate change to farming, the energy grid, or public health. One in four of the government’s key climate outcomes is currently rated “insufficient.” That’s the highest percentage ever recorded.

Their report doesn’t hold back. It criticizes successive governments for setting vague goals, failing to fund adaptation adequately, and lacking coordination across departments. As it stands, the National Adaptation Programme isn’t providing the clear, actionable guidance needed to prepare communities. A new version of the Programme must be released before 2028, covering the years 2029 to 2034. But the CCC wants ministers to start shaping that roadmap well before then—ideally by summer 2026.

Adding to the pressure, the Climate Majority Project has just launched a campaign called ‘SAFER.’ It’s pushing for more substantial funding commitments and better cross-government collaboration to build long-term climate resilience. One of its key proposals? A Citizens’ Adaptation Toolkit—something practical that households and communities can use to prepare for what’s coming.

With support from former Green Party MP Caroline Lucas, the SAFER campaign aims to harness grassroots energy and exert direct pressure on policymakers. It champions those already doing the work—local leaders, community groups, individuals—people they’re calling “adapters.” These are the ones creating solutions, not waiting for instructions from the top.

At its core, the campaign advocates for a shift away from reactive, short-term responses. Instead, it seeks policies that take a long view, supporting adaptation strategies that not only protect people but also heal the natural environment and strengthen local communities.

Climate Majority Project co-founder Rupert Read said: “If we are serious about protecting people, places, and public services, we need to act now. That means shifting adaptation from the margins to the mainstream. The need for this campaign, and for a properly funded National Resilience Plan, has never been clearer.”