A new website has been launched today to help organisations in the UK to become more environmentally friendly.

The drive to go green is being led by climate change minister Joan Ruddock.

As she launched the website – http://www.defra.gov.uk/adaptation – she urged organisations across the public and private sector to develop imaginative and innovative approaches to deal with the impact of climate change.

Ms Ruddock warned that without cross-society action, global warming would lead to more extreme weather, with an increased risk of flooding and erosion, hotter and drier summers, loss of biodiversity and risks to human health.

The website offers access to the to the most comprehensive collection of resources on adapting to climate change available in the UK.

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.

“Our climate is changing. We need to future proof our buildings and public spaces against this as much as possible,” said Ms Ruddock.

“Even nature itself will need help to adapt to climate change if we’re not to lose precious biodiversity.”

She added: “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.”