Protecting UK from rising heat is matter of life and death

Responding to the Environmental Audit Committee’s report on heat resilience and sustainable cooling, published today, Dr Alan Dangour, director of climate and health at Wellcome, said:

“This timely report highlights the urgent need to focus on the health consequences of increasing temperatures as our climate changes.

“When you look at the toll of recent heatwaves in the UK, it’s clear that measures to protect people from rising heat are genuinely a matter of life and death.

“The committee are also right to note that it’s those who are poorer or more vulnerable that are most exposed.

“Carrying on as we are with inadequate preparation, inadequate insulation and inadequate cooling is a recipe for increasing healthcare costs and increasing fatalities.

“We need a whole-of-government approach to address this issue and this report provides a strong starting point. I hope the government gives it the serious consideration it deserves.”