Environment Secretary Michael Gove is warning that world-leading new science shows more extreme weather lies on the horizon.
In a speech at the Science Museum in London, Mr Gove will say that the UK could face drier summers and wetter winters and the survival of the planet can only be safeguarded if scientific warnings are heeded more keenly.
"It is clear that the planet and its weather patterns are changing before our eyes," he will say.
"We know, more than ever before, the urgency of acting.
"These projections will give us an invaluable tool to assess the nature and scale of the challenge we face and take decisions accordingly."
His warning comes on the 10th anniversary of the Climate Change Act – the world's first law to cut greenhouse gas emissions.
Mr Gove says that since 1990 the UK has slashed emissions by more than 40%.
But campaign group Friends of the Earth has accused the government of dragging its heels in the global fight against climate change, saying rapid action is more urgent than ever to tackle man-made weather extremes.
As part of its campaign, Friends of the Earth has identified communities at the "front line" of climate change and "at risk of further catastrophe".
2:16The areas highlighted by the charity are:
:: Norfolk communities falling into the sea due to coastal erosion
:: Moorlands in the North West being turned into tinderboxes as a result of soaring summer temperatures
:: York and Leeds which experienced devastating flooding off the back of Storm Desmond in 2015
:: Low-lying communities in Somerset where floods in 2014 left homes and farms completely submerged with a knock-on effect on farming and production
:: Farms In Surrey, Kent and East Anglia parched after weeks on end with no rain and crop yields lowered by upwards of 40%
:: Devon and Cornwall's coastal railways collapsing into the ocean because of Atlantic storms
Serena Whitehead lives with her family not far from the River Ouse in York. The last time their house was flooded was on a Boxing Day when her children had 15 minutes to rescue their Christmas presents and leave.
She told Sky News: "The house was built in 1852 and it didn't used to flood. We've now had three floods in 15 years. It's hard to see what it could be other than climate change."
Emi Murphy, climate change campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: "The human cost of climate change, both in England and around the world, is already devastating. It's the most vulnerable communities paying the highest price, while the UK government fails to commit to the policies needed to avoid climate chaos.
"The Climate Change Act was a truly remarkable political achievement that has driven cuts in UK emissions. But dire warnings from scientists demonstrate how further and faster action is essential to prevent complete climate breakdown.
"Instead, with its relentless pursuit of fracking, airport expansion, and road building, our government is failing us on climate change."
3:02Friends of the Earth is calling for a number of urgent measures which include generating eight times more renewable electricity than current levels, the rapid development of decentralised rooftop solar power, halving food waste by 2030, doubling the area of forested land and bringing forward the date for phasing out the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030.
More from climate change
The government has hit back at the criticism saying that the UK is a world leader in tackling climate change – cutting emissions per person faster than any other G7 country since 1990.
A spokesman said: "Low carbon generation provided more than half of the UK's electricity for first time last year but we cannot afford to stand still. That is why we've asked our independent climate change advisers for advice on a net zero emissions target and are investing over £2.5bn in innovation to deliver clean growth."
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