Met Office issues red warning on heatwave: comment

Comment on the red warning issued by the Met Office

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By Gareth Redmond-King

info@eciu.net

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Commenting on today's red warning issued by the Met Office for this Wednesday and Thursday [1] - where maximum temperatures in the shade are likely to exceed 37°C, perhaps rising to 38°C to 40°C in some places - Gareth Redmond-King, Head of International Programme at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), said:

"That the health and weather alerts have just been raised from amber to red this week is a stark reminder of how dangerous this weather is to our health. This is particularly true of the most vulnerable - especially the very old and very young - but as June’s 50-year-old temperature record looks set to be blown out of the water this week, it is clearly a threat to us all, across a huge swathe of the country.

"The heatwave also hits in the week MPs will debate the UK’s plans to cut our emissions to net zero - which remains the only scientifically credible solution we have to halt climate change - and prevent these temperatures continuing to hit even more dangerous levels for many years to come."

Notes to editors:

  1. Met Office warning: https://weather.metoffice.gov.uk/warnings-and-advice/uk-warnings#


    For more information or for interview requests:

George Smeeton, Head of Communications, ECIU, Tel: 07894 571 153, email: george.smeeton@eciu.net