‘London cooking’: Why can’t the UK cope with the heat; when will it adapt?
A nation more used to rainy and cold weather is starting to discuss the value of overhauling its systems. London, United Kingdom – It was
A nation more used to rainy and cold weather is starting to discuss the value of overhauling its systems. London, United Kingdom – It was supposed to be a gathering of the great and the good to discuss climate change. The meeting in central London on Wednesday was titled Extreme Heat and was part of London Climate Action Week. It was cancelled because it was just too hot. If the organisers were embarrassed, they could at least say their point was made. The June temperature record was broken at 36.1 degrees Celsius (97 degrees Fahrenheit) in some places. The past few days have revealed that the UK is not made for the heat – structurally or culturally. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “London isn’t just calling. It’s cooking.” Electrical group AO World says sales of air conditioning units are up 420 percent from a year ago. Other suppliers say they have run out of stock. Motoring group the RAC says it responded to 20 percent more callouts for broken-down vehicles than usual as cars succumbed to the extreme weather. But there are negative effects on the economy, too. Rajeev Shaunak, head of consumer at business adviser MHA, said: “Historically, a British heatwave triggered spending in categories linked to food, drink and garden furniture, as we witnessed during the hot summers of 2018 and 2022. “However, in 2026, the pattern of spending appears to be dependent on how high the mercury rises.
In previous years, warm weather was a guaranteed bonus for retailers, but if the extreme heat continues, it could have the opposite effect.” An ice cream seller told Al Jazeera on Thursday that fewer people are daring to leave their homes or offices during the heatwave, while a chef said he takes extra care to ensure food does not expire. Britain’s houses have typically been designed to keep heat in during winter. Some new homes are so good at this that they easily overheat in the summer. Professor Rory Jones from the University of Reading said: “While some households can invest in cooling, older people, lower-income families, lone parent families and renters often face the greatest barriers to accessing protection from extreme heat, so the people most at risk from extreme heat are often the least able to afford protection from it.” On Wednesday alone, 2,600 rail services were cancelled or delayed. Direct sunlight heats the tracks, which increases the risk of derailing. Thus, many commuters could not get to the office. More than 1,000 schools and nurseries closed. The heat has been more than merely inconvenient. While schoolchildren can be sent home from boiling classrooms, the elderly in care homes cannot. The famed heatwave of 1976 saw 15 days when the temperature was above 32C (90F). That temperature is no longer so unusual in the UK. The 2022 heatwave caused 3,000 heat-related deaths, according to government figures, most in people above 65.
The BriefWire