Inadequate climate protections mean at least 6 million lives are at risk from extreme heat in England, an analysis has found.
A report by the campaign group Friends of the Earth found older people and young children were the most high-risk groups for heatwaves, with 1.7 million under-5s and 4.3 million people over 65 living in the most heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods in England.
The analysis builds on previous research by the University of Manchester and Friends of the Earth which identified 15,662 heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods. Birmingham was found to be the city with the most such areas.
Heat-vulnerable neighbourhoods are defined as those exposed to prolonged periods of very hot weather, with an average of 27.5C (81.5F) or higher for five days or more, conditions which are becoming more common amid climate breakdown.
However, analysts say current figures for the number of people at risk are a conservative estimate, and that the true number is likely to increase once people of all ages living with disabilities and health conditions are considered.
Doug Paulley, a disability rights activist, said: “The disproportionate impacts that are already being felt by disabled people, and will continue to in the future without better plans for adapting to climate change, are a stain on the UK and show just how far we’ve still to go to ensure disabled lives are taken seriously and treated with the respect they deserve.”
Across the areas identified as high-risk for heatwaves there are 3.7 million people living with high blood pressure, 1.5 million living with asthma, and 1.6 million living with diabetes. All of these conditions are exacerbated by extreme heat, and in some cases can be life-threatening.
At a high court hearing next week, Friends of the Earth and two co-claimants including Paulley whose lives are already severely affected by the climate crisis will challenge the UK’s climate adaptation plans in a case thought to be the first of its kind in the UK.
The group argues that plans brought in by the previous government do not sufficiently protect people from the foreseeable impacts of climate breakdown and the new Labour government must come up with much stronger plans to ensure those most at risk from escalating weather extremes are adequately protected.
Mike Childs, the head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said these plans “must include rolling out insulation programmes to keep our homes, care homes, schools and nurseries cool in summer, as well as warm in winter, planting street trees to help cool neighbourhoods during hot spells, and equipping community spaces such as libraries with air conditioning so people can shelter during heatwaves.
“Global temperature records are being broken year on year, but the UK’s plans to adapt to the climate crisis are falling far short of what’s needed to protect frontline communities. This failure is putting the lives and health of millions of people at risk.”
