A cross-party group of British MPs has warned the U.K. is not prepared for the “silent killer” of heatwaves could claim up to 10,000 lives annually in the country, without concerted action.
In a new report, the environmental audit select committee warns there is a “clear cut” economic and social care for accelerating heat adaption measures in Britain as temperature records continue to be broken.
The report notes U.K. temperatures soared above 40°C for the first time last year, while 2023 was the world’s hottest year on record.
It also stresses how physical and mental health can be severely impacted by high temperatures.
For example, interrupted sleep patterns due to high temperatures can cost the British economy £60bn a year, or 1.5% to 2% of GDP, according to the report.
The report highlights the benefits of nature-based solutions, like parks and green infrastructure, which can have significant cooling effects, particularly in built-up areas.
It also calls for a national retrofit programme, which should be delivered by local authorities, and focus on insulation and ventilation.
“There are a number of relatively simple ways to mitigate overheating risk, such as installing shutters, increasing the size of green spaces and using reflective paint on roofs,” said committee chair, Phillip Dunne in a statement.
“Yet none of these measures are being rolled out at scale. There is now a real opportunity to focus on these measures in tandem with improving the energy efficiency of the country’s homes in a new national retrofit programme.”
Robin Minchom, portfolio manager at Impact on Urban Health, said in an email the report is a stark reminder that the climate crisis is already affecting people’s health in the U.K.
Minchom said Impact on Urban Health’s work in South London shows that summer temperatures in urban homes frequently exceed the World Health Organisation’s recommended threshold of 25 degrees, beyond which health is adversely affected. And we know temperatures will continue to rise.
“It’s those on lower incomes who will feel the worst effects of rising temperatures,” said Minchom.
“Those effects include higher blood pressure and heart rate, disrupted sleep, exhaustion, and heatstroke. For those with chronic conditions, heatwaves increase the chance of serious illness or even death.”
Jina Kwon, the U.K. general manager of European solar marketplace Otovo said in an email days where the temperature in Britain reaches 40 degrees are no longer “once in a lifetime”,
“Excessive heat has a major impact on society, from health and welfare to economic activity, and as temperatures soar, the U.K. needs to improve its resilience and move to mitigate future extreme weather,” said Kwon.
“Adapting and retrofitting existing infrastructure is vital to addressing this major issue and, as the parliamentary committee report concludes, it’s essential that the UK government takes steps to encourage and enable the positive changes required.”
In response, a U.K. government spokesman said it has set out a “robust five-year plan to respond to the impacts of a changing climate and strengthen our national resilience”.
“We are the first major economy to halve our emissions and have already taken steps to manage the risks of climate change – with new warning systems to alert the public to heatwaves and our environmental land management schemes supporting farmers to make their land more resilient to the changing climate,” added the spokesman.
“Nearly half of homes in England now have an energy performance certificate rating of C. This is up from just 14% in 2010 and we are investing billions to ensure homes and buildings are even more energy efficient.”
