UK high temperatures made 100 times more likely by climate change: comment

“This study confirms what many of us can already feel – that this heat is not normal. And we are already seeing the impact. We’re in the midst of a record-breaking year for wildfires, with exceptionally severe fire risk forecast for this weekend [1] bringing home the reality of continuing to pump carbon emissions into the atmosphere. And this comes on top of a record-breaking warm and dry spring that has left crops stressed [2], reservoirs half empty and wildlife struggling with the lack of water.
 
“Government funding for greener farming will help to make our harvests and landscapes more resilient, but there are limits. Last year saw the UK’s third worst harvest after a climate change-fuelled extreme wet winter [3]. Ultimately, the only guaranteed way to stop these extremes escalating is to reach net zero where we’re no longer adding emissions to the atmosphere.”

Martin Lines, CEO of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said:
 
“With much of the UK still in drought and the first heatwave of 2025 on the horizon, farmers are already facing stunted crops and early signs of failure. The threat of another poor harvest is very real – a direct result of our changing climate that’s already putting pressure on food supplies well into next year.  

“Nature-friendly farming practices, like improving soil health and planting trees, are proving essential in helping farms cope with these extremes. Scaling up support for these approaches is vital to protect future harvests and rural livelihoods.
 
“Given the vast role of agriculture in our landscape and economy, building climate resilience on farmland is no longer optional – it’s critical. We will pay dearly if we delay action.” 
 

Professor Mike Tipton, Professor of Human and Applied Physiology at Portsmouth University said:

 “The human body is not designed to tolerate prolonged exposure to this sort of extreme heat. We know that when temperatures rise above 30 degrees there is a spike in excess deaths, particularly in vulnerable groups, and unfortunately we are likely to see that again in the coming days and weeks as the mercury once again rises to these dangerous levels. 

“With the evidence that 32 degree days in June are now 100 times more likely, it is undeniable that climate change is now costing British lives. Those politicians and commentators who pour scorn on climate action should reflect on this fact, because until we stop emitting planet warming greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, until we reach net zero, these life threatening episodes are only likely to become more frequent and more extreme.”