The UK has entered its fifth successive heatwave. More than 70% England and all of Wales are now under drought conditions. That means 45 million people are now living in a drought area in England, with more than 27 million facing water use restrictions. Dangerous wildfires are have been blazing across the country. Firefighters have responded to nearly 1,000 wildfires across England and Wales this year, according to the National Fire Chiefs Council.

In May and June alone, 2,877 deaths were linked to extreme hot weather in the UK. The lack of water is having a dire effect on our farmers – this year’s harvest is predicted to be the worst on record, leading to higher prices and smaller vegetables in supermarkets.

The average maximum temperature for July and August between 1991-2020 was just under 22˚C. This is why British people traditionally go on holiday to somewhere warm and sunny.

But in 2026 we have already had 40 days with temperatures above 30˚C. This extremely hot summer should come as no surprise. Like many other climate scientists, I have been warning politicians and policymakers about the impacts of climate change for more than 30 years. Still, they often seem surprised when extreme weather hits.

And this hot dry summer is the new normal for........

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