A new report published by the Climate Change Committee (CCC) has urged the government to take action to protect people from heat in their homes, as the world is on track to reach around 2°C of warming above pre-industrial levels by 2050.
The committee has highlighted eight key areas that need addressing – from investing in cooling solutions to keep people safe, to managing flood risk through careful development planning.
Baroness Brown, Chair of the Adaptation Committee, said, “Our lives, our landscapes and our homes are under increasing pressure from the changing climate. But we are not powerless. In an increasingly unstable world, being well adapted to climate change is fundamental to securing our food, energy and economic security."
What's in the report?
Keeping people cool
According to the report, there are around 1,400–3,000 heat-related deaths each year in heatwave periods. To stop this number rising to the predicted level of 3,000–10,000 by 2050 (and hopefully even lower it), the committee says the government must protect people from the heat.
In order to achieve this goal, the report recommends that new builds should be "designed to keep people cool from the outset", while natural shading and other low-cost passive cooling measures might also be sufficient.
With heatwaves expected to become hotter and longer, the committee suggests planning for more active cooling methods such as air conditioning, alongside low-cost passive measures. When retrofitting existing homes, both of these approaches are likely to be needed to keep temperature levels safe.
While the report recommends households install cooling systems, it addresses that additional support might be needed for those who are both heat vulnerable and low-income to make it more accessible.
By switching to a reliable and low-carbon electricity system, and using technologies such as heat pumps that can both heat and cool homes, the committee says this goal can be managed at “low cost and with minimal disruption”.
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Managing flood risk
The report also highlighted the importance of protecting properties from flooding through well-maintained defences and drainage, while noting that development in flood-prone areas needs to be managed "carefully" and that new construction should be "avoided where risks are not adequately reduced".
To prevent water damage to homes, it suggested lower-cost measures such as one-way valves on wastewater pipes, flood doors, barriers, and covering air bricks.
The report says: "A rapid rollout of property-level measures over the next five years in places that are already at risk of flooding could cut average annual flood-related losses by up to half. In other places, there will need to be challenging conversations with communities where flood protection is not viable, especially with rising sea levels."
Avoiding water shortages
With water scarcity on the rise, the report recommended that all new homes should be water efficient from the get-go.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said, "We are acting to protect people and places from the impacts of climate change that are already being felt across the UK – from flooding to extreme heat and drought.
"We have already invested a record £2.65 billion to repair and build flood defences, protecting tens of thousands of homes and businesses, and have deployed the largest nature-friendly farming budget in history to support sustainable food production and security.
"Robust, independent science is essential and we will carefully consider the Climate Change Committee's latest recommendations to drive further action.”
If you're struggling with the heat, you may find our guides on how to keep a house cool and prevent overheating at home useful.
