Launching a new information hub that will help businesses, planners, and others to adapt to climate change, Ms Ruddock said that as the climate changed, there would be more extreme weather, with an increased risk of flooding and erosion, hotter and drier summers, loss of biodiversity and risks to human health - and society would have to adapt to those changes.
The website is a one-stop shop offering easy access to the most comprehensive collection of resources on adapting to climate change available in the UK, and is part of the Government's drive to ensure that Britain is ready to deal with the impacts of climate change that are already irreversible.
It includes details of how the climate will alter, links to practical tools for adaptation, and examples of what is already being done around the country.
Ms Ruddock said:
"Our climate is changing. We need to future proof our buildings and public spaces against this as much as possible. Even nature itself will need help to adapt to climate change if we're not to lose precious biodiversity.
"We'll need good design that works with the environment rather than against it, creating buildings that stay cool in the heat and deal with water that will be in short supply in summer and pouring into the drains during heavy storms. This one stop shop will help people to identify the challenges we will face in the future and to make the decisions now that will help us to manage them.
"We are already starting to see some visionary climate-resistant buildings around Britain. I want builders and designers to follow the lead of the innovators behind these buildings by factoring a changing climate into their plans."
One regional example of adapting to our changing climate can be seen in Manchester. The City Council has been planning a programme of replanting after about 1,700 trees were felled across Manchester's parks in February 2008 due to a bout of fungal disease thought to be brought on by climate change.
The replanting, undertaken by Red Rose Forest - a partnership between the Countryside Agency, the Forestry Commission and Greater Manchester councils intends to include both native trees, as well as new tree species to Manchester, which are able to cope with climatechange.
A climate-resilient building in the future could include reinforced foundations to deal with soil shrinkage, permeable paving to absorb heavy rainfall, secure ventilation to ensure that it is both safe and cool, rainwater storage, and ways to reduce the impacts of flooding, such as putting power outlets higher up the walls.
To avoid dangerous climate change, it is vital to reduce CO2 emissions around the world and in the UK. However, even if all emissions stopped tomorrow, the world will still see rising temperatures for 30 to 40 years, and at least 100 years of sea level rise, due to CO2 emissions from the past..
The site is linked to the UK Climate Impacts Programme, the Environment Agency and others who are working on adapting to climate change, and will be updated regularly to reflect the latest information and advice.
