The government has been instructed to brace for summer temperatures consistently reaching 40C unless immediate action is taken to shield the UK from the worsening effects of climate change. The Climate Change Committee (CCC), a key advisor to the government, has called on ministers to allocate funds for cooling systems such as air conditioning, heat pumps, and green shading in essential public services like schools and hospitals. Additionally, the committee has urged the establishment of a maximum workplace temperature to safeguard employees.
Escalating Climate Risks
The CCC warned that the UK is already experiencing disruptions from the climate crisis, which are projected to intensify by 2050. According to the committee, 92% of homes are expected to overheat, peak river flows could rise by 45%, and water supply shortfalls might exceed five billion litres per day. These worsening extremes of heat, flooding, and drought are threatening the British way of life, impacting everything from lives and livelihoods to the NHS, seasonal changes, children's football games, music festivals, and weekend visits to National Trust venues.
Health and Economic Impacts
Without measures to help people adapt, the increasing risk of heatwaves reaching 40C by mid-century could result in up to 10,000 excess deaths annually, the committee stated. To support the UK through these changing conditions, the CCC recommended designing and maintaining transport, energy, and telecommunications infrastructure capable of operating safely during crises. Investments in flood defences, sustainable water storage, and water-efficient new homes were also proposed.
The estimated cost for these investments is around £11 billion per year, split between public and private funding. Last year saw record-breaking temperatures, according to the Met Office.
Call for Action
Baroness Brown, chair of the adaptation committee, emphasised that the UK is not helpless against the mounting pressures of the climate crisis. "Our lives, our landscapes, and our homes are under increasing pressure from the changing climate," she said. "But we are not powerless. In an increasingly unstable world, being well adapted to climate change is fundamental to securing our food, energy, and economic security."
She added: "This report carries a message of hope. The solutions already exist, and proven technologies are available now to help the UK adapt effectively. With the right decisions and actions, we can protect the people and the places we love."
Baroness Brown continued: "We can protect patients and residents in overheated hospitals and care homes, children in nurseries and schools, and communities facing repeated flooding. We can support our farmers to maintain our food supplies. We can keep sports pitches usable, high streets open for business, and iconic British music festivals running safely. The public want to see change and the government now has an opportunity to step up and protect our way of life."
This warning follows the UK experiencing its warmest and sunniest year on record in 2025, with a mean temperature of 10.09C. The Met Office attributed the rising temperature to human-induced climate change and cautioned that more record-breaking temperatures are expected in the future.
