This story was originally published by The Guardian and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.
The U.K. is no longer a cold country, scientists have said, as climate breakdown means “previously impossible heatwaves are killing people.”
This week temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius, or 104 degrees Fahrenheit, have been predicted for the first time by the United Kingdom’s Meteorological Office, but climate models show these weather events are expected to become more common.
Climate scientists have called for the U.K. to quickly adapt to extreme heat or risk thousands of excess deaths.
This includes having a specific heat risk strategy drawn up by the government, updating housing stock and ensuring new builds can cool down in hot weather.
Bob Ward, the policy and communications director at the London School of Economic’s Grantham Institute, said: “The current prime minister has ignored repeated calls to create a national heat risk strategy that would engage all relevant government departments in tackling the growing threat from heatwaves.”
He hit out at commentat... Read more
