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UK should set maximum working temperature rules, advisers say
TL;DR
The UK should establish maximum workplace temperature regulations to safeguard employees as climate change leads to more intense heatwaves, according to government advisers. The Climate Change Committee emphasizes the need for better cooling solutions in schools and hospitals.
Key points
- UK should set maximum workplace temperature rules
- Heatwaves are intensifying due to climate change
- Air conditioning in schools and hospitals is a priority
- Extreme weather threatens British way of life
- Government is investing in flood defenses
Mentioned in this story
Climate Change CommitteeBaroness Brown
The UK should introduce a maximum temperature for workplaces to protect people as heatwaves intensify due to climate change, the government's adviser has said.
The Climate Change Committee (CCC) said that rolling out air conditioning and other cooling technologies in schools and hospitals should be one of the government's highest priorities.
It warned that increasingly extreme heatwaves, droughts and floods were threatening the British "way of life", from sports matches to music festivals.
The government said it would carefully consider and respond to the committee's advice, adding it was already investing in flood defences.
But Baroness Brown, chair of the CCC's Adaptation Committee, criticised the "woeful" performance of successive governments in tackling the present and future threats facing the UK from climate change.
"We need to recognise that there are aspects of our British way of life which are now really under threat from climate," she said.
"It's not rocket science - we know what to do [… but] we haven't yet seen a government that's prepared to prioritise adapting to the change of climate [... and] protecting the people and the places that we love," she added.
The CCC warned that the "UK was built for a climate that no longer exists today", adding that it is now inarguable that climate change is reshaping our weather.
Last year was the UK's warmest year on record, with drought and low water levels affecting much of the country.
That came shortly after one of the UK's wettest winters on record in 2023-24, which triggered widespread flooding.
The CCC stresses that reducing carbon emissions is essential to limit climate change, but it says that further consequences for the UK are inevitable.
The world has already warmed by about 1.4C compared with pre-industrial times - before humans started burning large amounts of fossil fuels - and global efforts to keep warming to well below 2C remain off track.
The CCC points to the twin threats of winter flooding and summer droughts, with increasingly wet winters and dry summers expected on average with further climate change.
By the middle of the century, peak river flows in some catchments could be up to 45% higher during periods of very heavy rain, it warned.
Meanwhile, shortfalls in England's public water supply without stronger action, linked to hot, dry summers and a growing population.
Q&A
What maximum temperature should the UK set for workplaces?
The specific maximum temperature has not been defined yet, but the Climate Change Committee advocates for regulations to protect workers from extreme heat.
Why are air conditioning and cooling technologies important in the UK?
Air conditioning and cooling technologies are crucial to mitigate the impacts of increasingly extreme heatwaves, which threaten public health and safety.
What are the consequences of climate change on the UK according to the CCC?
The Climate Change Committee warns that climate change is leading to extreme heatwaves, droughts, and floods, which jeopardize the British way of life, including events like sports matches and music festivals.
How is the UK government responding to climate change threats?
The UK government has stated it will consider the Climate Change Committee's advice and is already investing in flood defenses to address climate change impacts.
