A senior defence figure has warned that the United Kingdom faces serious risks to its food security due to worsening climate conditions, urging a significant shift in farming practices to reduce reliance on foreign imports. Retired Lieutenant General Richard Nugee, who has been a key contributor to a new taskforce focused on planning for climate-related security challenges, highlighted that recent extreme weather has severely impacted domestic food production.

Nugee pointed to this year’s weather patterns as causing one of the worst harvests on record across several food sources within the UK. He emphasized that the country’s dependence on imported food—much of it from nations also experiencing climate stress—exacerbates vulnerabilities in the supply chain. “There’s a very real possibility that the food we take for granted, either in terms of price or availability, is not going to be that in the future unless we plan ahead,” he said, stressing the need to adapt agricultural methods to withstand droughts, floods, and other extreme weather events.

The former Army officer also criticized the lack of investment in essential infrastructure, noting that despite significant population growth, the UK has not built a major reservoir in more than three decades. Drawing on his military experience, including four years overseeing personnel across the Ministry of Defence, Nugee observed that public awareness of climate risks remains limited. He suggested that many in the UK see climate change as a distant or foreign issue, a perception challenged by this summer’s extreme conditions, which included widespread crop damage and wildfires.

The remarks come ahead of the inaugural meeting of the Climate and Nature Security Taskforce, which convened experts from academia, security sectors, and government, including climate minister Kate White. The group aims to analyze natural risks to national security and is expected to present recommendations to the government by next summer on enhancing resilience and preparedness.

Minister White acknowledged that while the UK is currently well-prepared for existing threats, the taskforce’s work focuses on future challenges. She cited this year’s extensive wildfires and ongoing restrictions such as hosepipe bans as examples of unforeseen impacts from climate events.

The discussion on climate-related security vulnerabilities also aligns with recent comments from General Sir Roly Walker, head of the Army, who indicated that political leaders would soon engage in frank discussions with the public about necessary sacrifices in the context of potential conflicts, particularly considering the ongoing threat from Russian aggression.