In his regular column for Nub News the Somerton and Frome MP David Warburton writes:

Sadly, the England football team could not quite secure victory in the Euros final and our fine opponents teased that "football's coming Rome". But while we may have been fierce opponents on the pitch, our two nations are coming together to host something with great significance off the pitch. In just a few months' time, Italy and the United Kingdom will jointly host the COP26 Climate Change conference in Glasgow.

As hosts of the summit and a world leader in tackling climate change, we can use this opportunity to share best-practice and help the world transfer fairly to a net zero economy. From investment in offshore wind to phasing out petrol and diesel cars, the UK has already shown the way. And I am hopeful we can raise greater ambition from other countries, including the biggest emitters, later this year.

Seeing wildfires in Australia or record temperatures in Canada can seem remote, but for us here in Somerset the effects of climate change are felt closer to home. The memory of the 2013-14 floods on the Somerset Levels remains fresh, when the village of Muchelney was transformed into an island requiring a daily boat service to ferry essential supplies to marooned villagers and local businesses.

As well as tackling the climate crisis, we must adapt now to cope with the impacts of climate change on our communities. Recent reports show that 5.2 million UK homes and businesses are at risk from flooding – and since 2017, half a million homes have been built that are unsuitable for future temperatures.

Episodes of extreme heat are becoming more frequent. In 2020, there were more than 2,500 heat related deaths during the heatwave in England, higher than at any time since records began. Evidence suggests that unless there are adequate adaptation measures, this number could more than triple by 2050, from around 2,000 per year to around 7,000.

Instead of waiting for flood waters to rise or heatwaves to strike, we should fix the roof when the sun is shining, investing in flood defences and cooling systems, with initiatives from tree-planting to ventilation. If the Covid-19 pandemic has taught us anything, it's that we can act with urgency when we must. As the climate change conference comes to Glasgow this November, we must do all we can to tackle the climate crisis and secure our future.

It may not have gone our way in the Euros, but we have many more sporting fixtures to look forward to this summer – not least the Tokyo Olympic Games which starts next week. I'm incredibly proud that Frome resident Emily Diamond will be representing Team GB in the athletics 400m race. On behalf of everyone in Frome, I'd like to wish Emily the very best of luck.