The summer of 1976 was an extraordinary heatwave for its time. With 15 consecutive days of temperatures over 32°C, it was an unprecedented length for a UK heatwave, coming at the end of a year-long drought. This led to severe water shortages and frequent wildfires, followed by flash floods.

But the climate has substantially changed since 1976. Global temperatures have risen by about 1°C since then and summer 2025 was hotter than 1976 for the UK, with three shorter heatwaves rather than one long one.

When we zoom out to a global perspective, the change becomes even more stark. We are now living in a very different climate compared to just 50 years ago.

In summer 1976, northwest Europe was a lonely hot spot in a sea of cooler temperatures. In summer 2025, the whole world was hot (bright red), with record-shattering heat in many regions.

Warmer world, hotter heatwaves

But what if the weather patterns of 1976 happened again now in today’s warmer climate?

Greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels, already make every summer and every heatwave hotter than it would have been in a world without those emissions.

But unfortunately a 1°C rise in global temperatures does not mean that heatwaves only become 1°C hotter. Extreme heat is intensifying much faster than the........

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