The House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee has launched a new inquiry into heatwaves and adapting to climate change.
The inquiry will consider risks to health, wellbeing and productivity associated with, review the level of UK resilience to them and assess the Government’s actions to date.
Met Office estimates say maximum and minimum UK temperatures have increased by around 1 degree since the 1950s. Globally, all but one of the 16 warmest years on record occurred after 2001. In the UK, the warming is expected to lead to a rise in the frequency and intensity of summer heatwaves.
Mary Creagh MP, Chair of the Environmental Audit Committee, said:
“Climate change means the UK faces hotter summers and more heatwaves, and our ageing population will face an increased risk of heat-related illnesses and deaths.
“The Government should be doing all it can to protect citizens from risks associated with higher temperatures.
“Our inquiry will look at whether the UK is prepared for higher temperatures, and what more the Government should be doing to protect people, businesses and digital infrastructure from rising temperatures.”
Record-high UK temperatures of 38°C in 2003 projected by Met Office to be summer norm by 2040
The record-high UK temperatures of 38°C in 2003 are projected by the Met Office to be the summer norm by 2040 under a medium emissions scenario.
There are currently around 2,000 heat-related deaths per year in the UK. With rising temperatures and a growing and ageing population, the Committee on Climate Change has said this number is projected to increase by two-thirds by the 2020s. According to the Committee on Climate Change, heatwaves can affect the transport system, the water supply and workplace productivity.
The last assessment of the Government’s actions by the Committee on Climate Change found that the UK lacks policies for adapting the built environment to rising temperatures, or standards to prevent overheating in new developments.
The Government’s updated Climate Change Risk Assessment, which identifies the specific risks that climate change poses to the UK, was published in 2017. The Government is due to publish its next National Adaptation Programme, which sets out the actions taken by government, businesses and society to adapt better to climate change, during 2018.
The Committee is inviting submissions on a range of topics, including:
- Assessment of Risks
- Buildings
- Cities
- Digital Infrastructure
- Water Management
Deadline for submissions to the inquiry is 14th March 2018. Click here to access the EAC’s Adapting to Climate Change inquiry page.
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