In the run up to COP28, our team has been sharing their thoughts on what they would like to see come out of the conference and the UK’s role in responding to the global climate emergency.

First up in the series, Claudia Ross, civil design engineer in our Manchester studio, shares her reflections on the impact of the climate crisis, and whether global leadership is keeping up with the pace of change:

Claudia said: “It’s been disappointing to track the progress of countries in tackling climate change. At COP26, countries were all set on phasing out coal, but China and India weakened the agreement to instead ‘phase down’ coal usage. Pledges made at COP conferences are all too easily watered down.

“Not only are extreme weather events impacting our daily lives, they are also forcing our industry to adapt and respond. As just one example, since I joined Civic Engineers, the Environment Agency released updated peak rainfall allowances for new developments to mitigate for an increased likelihood of heavier rainfall events in the future. It was a dramatic change when it happened, as it really highlighted the immediacy of the climate emergency we’re facing.

“On a leadership level, legislation is failing to keep up with the rapid pace of change. It’s so important that we see a step change from the UK government and global leaders at COP28.”