The UK is fundamentally unprepared for the impacts of global heating, with temperatures in Bedfordshire having already risen by 1°C over the past three decades, according to a landmark report from the Climate Change Committee (CCC). The report warns that British homes, hospitals, and schools will require widespread air conditioning to cope with predicted levels of warming, as traditional measures like drawing curtains and opening windows prove insufficient.
The CCC recommends that all care homes and hospitals install air conditioning within the next ten years, and all schools within 25 years. It also calls for the government to set a maximum temperature for working, both indoors and outdoors. By 2050, the UK is expected to face 2°C of global heating, with heatwaves exceeding 40°C across the country, leading to an additional 10,000 heat-related deaths annually. Approximately 90% of UK homes are likely to overheat.
Julia King, chair of the CCC's adaptation subcommittee, stated: “Extreme heat is certainly the most deadly of the climate impacts on the UK, so we need to see cooling rolled out at scale.” She emphasised the need to protect vulnerable populations in hospitals, care homes, and schools. In 2022, when temperatures exceeded 40°C, there were about 3,000 excess deaths, and such extremes are expected to become “the new normal.”
The report also highlights other climate threats, including increased flooding, droughts, and wildfires. Without action, the 7 million UK properties at risk of flooding could increase by 40% by 2050, and river flows in summer could be a third lower than 20 years ago. By 2050, the daily water supply shortfall could reach 5 billion litres, equivalent to 2,000 Olympic swimming pools. The climate crisis is already costing the UK about £60 billion annually, or 2% of GDP.
Sam Alvis of the IPPR thinktank called for a “mindset shift” to adapt to a hotter climate, noting that air conditioning pairs well with solar power. Emma Howard Boyd of the London School of Economics urged that heat resilience be prioritised alongside flood and water security. The report concludes that the UK was built for a climate that no longer exists and must urgently adapt to survive.
