Nearly three-quarters of UK media articles about June's record-breaking heatwave failed to mention the climate crisis, according to an analysis by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU). Of nearly 2,500 articles across nine major national daily publications, about 72% made no reference to global heating or climate change.
Heatwave Coverage Lacks Climate Context
The analysis covered articles published from 22 June to 28 June, a period when temperatures topped 37°C, a record for the time of year. Even fewer pieces—less than one in 20—linked the heatwave to government net-zero policies. The findings come as the UK experienced its third heatwave of the year, following a May heatwave that reached 35°C.
Research by Imperial College London, published in July, estimated that about 2,700 people died from overheating in the UK in May and June, with around 1,100 of those deaths attributable to the additional heat from climate change. Scientists have warned that human activities—primarily burning fossil fuels and intensive agriculture—have made such extreme heat events more likely and intense.
Attribution Study Confirms Human Influence
An attribution study found that the extreme heat would not have been possible without human interference in the climate system. Ed Hawkins, professor of climate science at the University of Reading, stressed the need for media to explain these links: “When extreme heatwaves occur, it is critical that the British public are made aware in the media they consume that greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels, have made those heatwaves hotter than they would otherwise have been.”
Variation Across Publications
The ECIU used the Factiva database to analyse print and online output from the Express, Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, Mail, Mirror, Sun, Telegraph, and Times. The Financial Times scored highest, with nearly two-thirds (50 of 78) of its heatwave stories linking to climate change. The Guardian followed, with about half (64 of 131) making the connection. The Independent published the most heatwave stories (783), with 304 (39%) mentioning climate change.
At the lower end, about one in eight of the Express’s 400-plus stories referenced global heating, while the Mirror had more than 300 heatwave stories but only 9% mentioned climate. The Sun ranked last, with 69 heatwave stories and just 6% including a climate angle.
Impact of Liveblogs and Blogposts
The high article counts for some outlets reflect many blogposts and minor updates to online stories. Excluding liveblogs, the proportions remained similar, except for the Independent, which dropped to about 34%.
Gareth Redmond-King, head of international at the ECIU, said: “The link between all three recent periods of extreme heat and climate change is indisputable. If recent heatwaves are the symptom, then climate change is the illness, and net zero is the medicine. When public understanding of this link is so low, it’s vital that the dots are joined between these three concepts to help make us all better.”
Guardian Response
A Guardian spokesperson said: “The Guardian leads the way in reporting on the link between extreme weather events and the climate crisis, with our coverage presenting global heating as an urgent, factual reality. Clear, accurate journalism is essential to helping the public understand the climate crisis and the solutions required. Already in 2026, the Guardian has published hundreds of articles mentioning the ‘climate crisis’ or ‘climate emergency’. In 2019, we helped reframe newsroom priorities across the industry by updating our style guide to adopt terms like ‘climate emergency’ and ‘global heating’. Our editorial commitment also drives our choices as a business: we were the first major global news organisation to ban fossil-fuel advertising, divest from fossil fuels, and achieve B Corp certification as we work toward our goal of net-zero emissions.”
