London's pavements have reached scorching temperatures of up to 57°C, turning the capital into a "sticky, sizzling cauldron," according to Greenpeace UK. The environmental group tested surface temperatures across the city on June 26, 2026, revealing that popular spots like Oxford Circus and Piccadilly Circus hit 56°C, while Regent Street reached 57°C. An Overground platform at Highbury and Islington measured 62°C, and a roadworks site in Holborn recorded a staggering 65°C. The plaza outside King's Cross station reached 54°C, and a playground in Islington hit 53°C in the late afternoon. Even the floor of a Victoria line carriage peaked at 40°C.
Greenpeace Warns of Public Health Emergency
Greenpeace UK's head of climate, Mel Evans, stated: "This record-smashing heatwave has turned London into a sticky, sizzling cauldron. This isn't just weather – it's a public health emergency driven by fossil fuel giants and their planet-heating emissions." Evans emphasized that the abnormal temperatures are stretching homes, schools, transport, and health to breaking point, and accused the government of being caught off guard. "Ministers need to stop winging it and deliver a proper extreme heat plan, with cooler homes and schools, safe limits for workers, more shade and green space, and clear protection for the most vulnerable," she added.
London Mayor Admits City Not Equipped
London Mayor Sadiq Khan told Metro that the city is "not equipped to deal with frequent and extreme heat waves" as he unveiled the capital's heat plan. The Met Office has warned that temperatures reaching 45°C in the UK is a "plausible" scenario by 2056, with the potential for nine consecutive days above 40°C somewhere in the UK within decades. Professor Stephen Belcher CBE, the Met Office's chief scientist, said: "Human induced climate change has made events like this more likely and more intense. To see temperatures like this in the UK in June is sobering."
Call for Fossil Fuel Accountability
Evans called on political leaders to stop fossil fuel companies from exacerbating the problem and to make them pay their fair share for the damage caused. The extreme heat has raised alarms that such conditions could become the new norm, driven by human-induced climate change. The Met Office has issued a Red Extreme Heat warning, highlighting significant health implications from heat stress and impacts on transport, energy, and water supply sectors.
