The Guardian view on extreme heat: as risks escalate, adaptation plans are dangerously lagging | Editorial
As western Europe bakes under what scientists describe as a heat dome, or “atmospheric lid”, reports of dozens of drownings, and heat-linked deaths of children and elderly people in France, are a stark reminder of the threat to life from extreme heat – and the fact that some people face higher risks than others. The red alert covering most of southern England and Wales for Wednesday and Thursday is only the second such warning to be issued.
With the UK’s June record of 35.6C expected to be broken, hundreds of schools are closed. Network Rail has advised against non-essential travel. Temperatures in France and Spain are expected to be even higher, before the heat moves eastwards. But since the UK is less used to intense heat than its Mediterranean neighbours, it faces distinct challenges.
Like emissions cuts, adaptation to the climate crisis is a global issue. Some of the poorest countries in the world, which bear least responsibility for greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, confront the gravest threats from excessive heat – and the wildfires and droughts it causes – and also storms, floods and rising sea levels. Their governments went home from last year’s Cop30 negotiations justifiably angry about the lack of urgency around funding to help them. This must change.
Around the world, community resilience rests on voluntary links such as people checking on relatives and neighbours. Last month’s report on adaptation from the UK’s Climate Change Committee acknowledged this. But its strongest message was rightly directed at ministers. Adaptation plans in all four nations of the UK lag behind where they need to be, the experts warned, to avoid the most damaging effects of an expected 2C global temperature rise by 2050, and a possible 3-4C rise by the end of the century.
The report was described by its authors as rooted in “hope, not fear”. For the first time, the committee included recommendations as a signal of the need to move beyond intentions to actions – and the escalating risks to lives and livelihoods if preparations are not stepped up. Rightly, it proposed that air conditioning in care homes, hospitals and schools should be prioritised, in recognition of the vulnerability of old, ill and disabled people and the importance of education. Combining air conditioning with solar panels helps to maximise energy efficiency and avoid cooling measures adding to carbon emissions.
The committee stressed that all new infrastructure must be built to withstand 3-4C of warming – even though the UK remains committed, under the Paris agreement, to avoiding this increase. They called for changes to the food system, improved management of flood risks and the water supply, and nature restoration including tree-planting in cities, where temperatures are often highest.
After a muted initial response from ministers, the hope must be that this week’s heat will focus minds – including Andy Burnham’s. The UK’s next national adaptation plan is due in two years. As he sets out his ideas, along with any other candidates to replace Sir Keir Starmer, he must decide whether to accept the committee’s proposal for around £11bn in annual spending – split between the public and private sectors – and if not, why not. With next year expected to be the hottest ever, due in part to the cyclical El Niño weather system, a strong adaptation plan – to run in parallel with the green transition – cannot wait.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗
Western Europe faces record temperatures as a heat dome settles over the region. France and Spain are experiencing particularly severe conditions, while the UK has issued a rare red heat alert for southern England and Wales, with temperatures expected to exceed the June record of 35.6°C. Extreme heat creates distinct risks: heat-related deaths are reported across the region, with vulnerable populations—elderly, children, disabled people—facing higher danger. The UK Climate Change Committee has assessed that adaptation measures across all four nations remain insufficient to address projected warming of 2–4°C by 2050–2100. The committee proposes annual spending of approximately £11bn on adaptation, prioritising air conditioning in care facilities and hospitals, building climate-resilient infrastructure, improving water and food systems, and restoring urban green spaces. Poorer nations, which contribute least to global emissions, face the greatest climate risks yet receive inadequate international funding support. A national adaptation plan is due within two years.
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗
As western Europe bakes under what scientists describe as a heat dome, or “atmospheric lid”, reports of dozens of drownings, and heat-linked deaths of children and elderly people in France, are a stark reminder of the threat to life from extreme heat – and the fact that some people face higher risks than others. The red alert covering most of southern England and Wales for Wednesday and Thursday is only the second such warning to be issued.
With the UK’s June record of 35.6C expected to be broken, hundreds of schools are closed. Network Rail has advised against non-essential travel. Temperatures in France and Spain are expected to be even higher, before the heat moves eastwards. But since the UK is less used to intense heat than its Mediterranean neighbours, it faces distinct challenges.
Like emissions cuts, adaptation to the climate crisis is a global issue. Some of the poorest countries in the world, which bear least responsibility for greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, confront the gravest threats from excessive heat – and the wildfires and droughts it causes – and also storms, floods and rising sea levels. Their governments went home from last year’s Cop30 negotiations justifiably angry about the lack of urgency around funding to help them. This must change.
Around the world, community resilience rests on voluntary links such as people checking on relatives and neighbours. Last month’s report on adaptation from the UK’s Climate Change Committee acknowledged this. But its strongest message was rightly directed at ministers. Adaptation plans in all four nations of the UK lag behind where they need to be, the experts warned, to avoid the most damaging effects of an expected 2C global temperature rise by 2050, and a possible 3-4C rise by the end of the century.
The report was described by its authors as rooted in “hope, not fear”. For the first time, the committee included recommendations as a signal of the need to move beyond intentions to actions – and the escalating risks to lives and livelihoods if preparations are not stepped up. Rightly, it proposed that air conditioning in care homes, hospitals and schools should be prioritised, in recognition of the vulnerability of old, ill and disabled people and the importance of education. Combining air conditioning with solar panels helps to maximise energy efficiency and avoid cooling measures adding to carbon emissions.
The committee stressed that all new infrastructure must be built to withstand 3-4C of warming – even though the UK remains committed, under the Paris agreement, to avoiding this increase. They called for changes to the food system, improved management of flood risks and the water supply, and nature restoration including tree-planting in cities, where temperatures are often highest.
After a muted initial response from ministers, the hope must be that this week’s heat will focus minds – including Andy Burnham’s. The UK’s next national adaptation plan is due in two years. As he sets out his ideas, along with any other candidates to replace Sir Keir Starmer, he must decide whether to accept the committee’s proposal for around £11bn in annual spending – split between the public and private sectors – and if not, why not. With next year expected to be the hottest ever, due in part to the cyclical El Niño weather system, a strong adaptation plan – to run in parallel with the green transition – cannot wait.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗
Western Europe is experiencing extreme heat described by scientists as a heat dome, with reports of drownings and heat-linked deaths in France The UK has issued a red alert for most of southern England and Wales, only the second such warning ever issued The UK's June temperature record of 35.6°C is expected to be broken Hundreds of UK schools are closed and Network Rail has advised against non-essential travel Temperatures in France and Spain are expected to be higher than the UK before the heat moves eastward The UK faces distinct adaptation challenges because it is less accustomed to intense heat than Mediterranean neighbours Some of the poorest countries in the world confront the gravest threats from excessive heat despite bearing least responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions The UK Climate Change Committee's report warns that adaptation plans in all four UK nations lag behind necessary levels The committee recommends around £11bn in annual adaptation spending, split between public and private sectors The committee proposes prioritising air conditioning in care homes, hospitals and schools in recognition of vulnerability of elderly, ill and disabled people All new infrastructure should be built to withstand 3–4°C of warming even though the UK remains committed to avoiding this increase The committee's recommendations signal a need to move beyond intentions to actions given escalating risks
Read the full story at The Guardian ↗
- Western Europe is experiencing extreme heat; France and Spain are forecasted to reach record temperatures, with the UK issuing only its second-ever red alert for heat
- Extreme heat poses disproportionate risks to vulnerable populations including elderly, children, and disabled people, and to countries least responsible for emissions
- The UK's Climate Change Committee warns that adaptation plans across all four UK nations lag behind what is needed to manage expected 2–4°C warming by 2050–2100
- The committee recommends £11bn in annual adaptation spending, including air conditioning in care homes and hospitals, climate-resilient infrastructure, and nature restoration