‘Heatwaves aren’t ‘just summer’’ – experts call for action

As temperatures soared, Bristol was put on an amber weather warning and businesses and services struggled to adapt in the midst of extreme heat.

This is not what “normal” summer looks and feels like in the UK – but the situation is only predicted to escalate in the coming years.

“We will see temperature records being broken more often due to the increasing trend in extremely hot temperatures, as well as the variations of the weather getting more severe,” exlains Dr Eunice Lo, a climate scientist and member of the Cabot Institute.

According to the Met Office, various locations around the country exceeded previous national records.

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The heatwave has prompted campaigners and scientists alike to raise the alarm about the ongoing impact of climate change on the planet.

Tweets and Instagram pictures stating: “This is the coldest summer of the rest of your life” have gone viral.

But is it true?

Professor Dan Mitchell, a member of the MET office joint chair in climate hazards says: “This isn’t true, but the point they are trying to make is that the climate is warming and, at some point in the future, we may well consider this summer as a cooler than average one. This really puts into perspective how hot things might be.”

Mitchell adds that these trends also pose a threat to public health, saying: “Heatwaves impact all parts of health, which includes humans, animals, and ecosystems. When we change the climate, and cause particularly extreme heat, then we impact those systems. This can cause cooling mechanisms to fail.”

How do heatwaves affect cities, and how will they continue to do so? 

Harry West, senior lecturer in environmental management at UWE Bristol, says: “It’s important that when heatwaves happen, people appreciate this isn’t ‘just summer’. There is a real risk to human life when organisations such as the Met Office issue warnings.”

Climate change is making (and will continue to make) it more likely that we’ll see hotter and drier summers than we have seen throughout recent history.

West adds: “The UK climate projections for England suggest that by the middle of this century hot summers could be very common, and by 2070 summers could be 41-57 per cent drier and up to 5.8 degrees Celsius warmer.”

Hotter weather for longer periods might not only cause deaths of humans and animals, but also droughts.

In terms of cities, West adds: “Heatwaves can be particularly challenging for cities due to the ‘urban heat island’ effect where dark coloured human-made surfaces absorb heat from the sun, further exacerbating the warm temperatures in the urban environment.”

How could cities like Bristol be better prepared for the upcoming climate challenges? 

From planting more trees to ensuring houses and buildings are better ventilated, with more efficient cooling systems, extreme heat challenges current infrastructure.

Lo states: “It’s important to start having regulations in place for buildings to reduce overheating.”

West agrees, adding: “There is a need to ensure that we are properly prepared for future climate-related challenges like extreme heat. This involves creating a hazard and environmental management plans and building resilience and adaptive capacity in advance of events occurring. There needs to be proper coordination and strategies in place.”

Beyond what the media is currently trying to do in ensuring the general public is aware of the risks and mitigation measures that can be put in place, there are also infrastructural changes that will likely need to be made, says West.

These could include better air conditioning and ventilation across buildings and public transport, looking at how to make transport networks more resilient (e.g. treating roads and railways to minimise heat damage) and ensuring that adequate shade is provided by tree cover on streets and in open green spaces.

In this same line, even if cities respond more efficiently to these challenges, food security and supply chain issues will also need to adapt to this new reality.

Lo explains: “Extreme weather changes means vegetation dies and it compromises whether we can harvest crops or not.”

What we’re seeing is a planet in crisis. According to data shared by climate scientist Dr Zack Labe, emissions of both carbon dioxide and methane (greenhouse gases) continue to rise.

Keeping us cool might be enough for now, but will it be in the future?

This piece of independent journalism is supported by Natwest and the Bristol24/7 public and business membership

Main photo: Archie Richards

Read more: www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/bristol-braces-itself-for-record-breaking-heatwave/ 

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