The UK Government is ultimately responsible for the security, economic wellbeing and sustainability of 14 UK Overseas Territories (OTs). Climate change is also prioritized by the Department for International Development (DFID) as a Strategic Development Priority. To ensure that reasonable assistance needs are met whilst achieving value for money, the impact of climate change has to be considered. This is particularly important given the vulnerability of relatively small, isolated OTs to climate change, and the relatively high value of DFID’s investment in infrastructure, noting that the life of the assets being created is measured in decades, not years.

This Inception Report for the DFID-funded Climate Change in Overseas Territories project has been produced by the Met Office for Evidence on Demand. It considers the vulnerability of the UK overseas territories to climate change and assesses infrastructure planning for reduced vulnerability to extreme weather events, incorporating socio-economic considerations. The local climate of the overseas territories included in the study is linked to ocean conditions and influences. A range of hazards are analysed including tropical storms, coastal erosion, coral reef bleaching, and droughts.