Britain's recent heatwaves have killed more than 2,700 people, according to data from Imperial College, with the peak in June causing around 440 deaths per day. The crisis has disproportionately affected older people in poorly insulated flats, those with heart and lung conditions, disabled people, outdoor workers, and the homeless.
Widespread impact across society
Research for Greenpeace found that nearly a quarter of households had someone who felt physically unwell due to the heat. Six in ten workers reported their workplace was too hot, and nearly one in ten called it unsafe. Almost a quarter had to throw away spoiled food, and more than half said their homes need serious upgrades to cope with future heatwaves, though most cannot afford the work.
Calls for a national strategy
Greenpeace is urging the government to publish an Extreme Heat Strategy that includes legal protections for workers, school upgrades to prevent classrooms from becoming dangerously hot, and funding to heat-proof hospitals, care homes, and public housing. Nearly half of those surveyed supported a levy on the highest-emitting companies to fund these measures.
Fossil fuel reliance under fire
The article criticizes political moves toward more North Sea drilling, with incoming Prime Minister Andy Burnham reportedly open to the idea. The Met Office projects that by 2056, days of 45°C could become the norm in the UK. Southern Europe and India already face deadly heatwaves, with overwhelmed hospitals and wildfires.
Ross McCafferty, Opinion and Analysis Editor, writes: 'Every death, every sleepless night, every spoiled meal can be linked to a political choice to keep burning fossil fuels long after we knew better. That choice can be unmade.' He calls on Burnham to appoint a Chancellor committed to moving away from polluting industries and building climate resilience.
