UK warned to prepare for 40C summers threatening British way of life
The government has been told to brace for summer temperatures to consistently reach 40°C unless it takes urgent action to protect the UK from the growing impacts of climate change.
The Committee on Climate Change (CCC), a key adviser to the government, has called on ministers to invest in cooling mechanisms such as air conditioning, heat pumps and green shading in essential public services such as schools and hospitals, and to commit to maximum workplace temperatures to protect workers.
He warned that the UK is already facing disruption from the climate crisis, which is expected to worsen by 2050, with 92 per cent of homes set to overheat. River flows are also expected to be 45 percent higher, while water supply shortages could exceed five billion liters per day.
The committee warns that worsening extreme temperatures, floods and drought are threatening the British way of life, from lives and livelihoods to the NHS, “gently changing seasons”, children’s football matches, music festivals and weekend visits to National Trust venues.
The increased risk of heatwaves with temperatures reaching 40C by mid-century could lead to as many as 10,000 extra deaths a year unless steps are taken to help people adapt, the committee said.
As part of a set of recommendations to support the UK in the face of changing circumstances, the CCC recommended that the government design and support transport, energy and telecommunications infrastructure that can operate safely throughout the crisis. Recommendations were made for flood protection, sustainable water storage and investing in water-saving new-build homes.
Investments to support the committee’s recommendations are expected to cost around £11bn a year, split between public and private funding.
Baroness Brown, chair of the cohesion committee, said the UK was not powerless in the face of the increasing pressures of the climate crisis.
“Our lives, landscapes and homes are under increasing pressure from a changing climate,” he said. “But we are not powerless. In an increasingly unstable world, adapting well to climate change is essential to secure our food, energy and economic security.”
“This report carries a message of hope. Solutions already exist and proven technologies are now available to help the UK adapt effectively. With the right decisions and actions, we can protect the people and places we love.”
He added: “We can protect patients and residents in overheating hospitals and care homes, children in nurseries and schools, and communities facing persistent flooding. We can support our farmers to protect our food supplies. We can keep sports pitches usable, high streets open for business and iconic British music festivals can go ahead safely.”
“The public wants to see change and the government now has the opportunity to step in and protect our way of life.”
It comes after the UK recorded its hottest and sunniest year on record in 2025, with an average temperature of 10.09C. The Met Office has linked rising temperatures to human-caused climate change and warned the UK will face more record-breaking temperatures in the future.
