Opinion: We can’t ‘sunhat’ our way through extreme summers

As temperatures became increasingly uncomfortable, so too did the national conversation around the stifling heatwave. Scientists and activists pointed to the soaring heat as evidence that climate change is happening right here, right now, while those with opposing views were quick to dismiss the freakish heat as a normal blip in weather patterns. “I remember summers being as hot as this when I was a child,” was a common refrain by those who undoubtedly recall the aforementioned summer of 1976 through hazy, rose-tinted spectacles.  

And sitting quietly, among all this conflicting noise, is the large majority who perhaps aren’t sure what to make of the heat beyond trying to stay cool in a country clearly not designed to accommodate extreme temperatures. They may well be aware of climate change and the risks it represents, but they still hang on to the hope that this is just a one-off?

The influence of the media cannot be underestimated here. Newspaper front pages adorned with pictures of smiling kids playing in the sea and scantily-clad women soaking up the rays paired with huge blocks of text declaring “It’s going to be a scorcher!” creates the impression that heatwaves are something to be celebrated. But, in the bleakest terms, extreme temperatures kill (see the resources below). 

Where are the pictures of vulnerable people collapsed in the street with heat stroke? Beloved family pets dying of heat exhaustion? The stories of people unable to undergo long-awaited healthcare procedures because the temperature has fried antiquated National Health Service equipment? Sure, we get the usual stories about roads melting and train tracks buckling under the extreme temperatures, but like our inability to deal with snow, these accounts are met with a sarcastic eye-roll and “Well, that’s the UK for you!”

Our typically grey and drizzly maritime climate means Brits regard heat as a treat, so it’s easy to think of these unfortunate events as isolated incidents, and certainly not as serious as the looming winter, which this year is set to be more difficult than ever thanks to the escalating cost-of-living crisis. When it comes to heat, for a couple of weeks every year, we can manage. But what happens when these intense heat spells get hotter and longer? Scientists have already warned that this summer could be one of the coolest for the rest of our lives.

Without meaningful climate action, UK summers are set to become as challenging as the winter months – just at the opposite end of the scale. Instead of consuming energy to stay warm, we’ll be using energy to stay cool. For many vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly and the ill, doing so will be just as critical.

And of course, a new reliance on air-conditioning, fans and other cooling equipment only exacerbates the overall problem, using up additional resources and churning out additional greenhouse gas emissions. This adds another layer to the complex climate puzzle: how can we adapt to warming conditions without further contributing to that warming?