Exclusive: Madeleine Alessandri, chair of the joint intelligence committee, will take on the role of advising No 10 on climate-related national security risks

The UK government has appointed the world’s first special representative for climate security, in the strongest sign yet of fears that climate breakdown will bring chaos to the country.

Prime minister Andy Burnham will announce the move on Thursday at Cop31, the UN climate summit, with the new role designed to advise the government on national security risks from the climate crisis before they spell catastrophe.