EAC – Heat Resilience and Sustainable Cooling
Today the Environment Audit Committee publishes its findings from its inquiry into heat resilience and sustainable cooling in the UK.
https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/43103/documents/214494/default/
The inquiry was launched against a backdrop of an increase in extreme heat events globally including the first recorded 40 degree C day in the UK. Met office predictions are that these periods of severe heat will increase as the climate changes in response to increasing carbon emissions. Higher temperatures have potentially severe consequences for human health, leading to higher blood pressure and respiratory problems especially for those with underlying health conditions.
The LCCP provided both written evidence and our partner, Francis Heil principal consultant from AtkinsRealis also gave evidence in person to the inquiry.
The report makes a series of recommendations to UK government including the following:
- The Met Office and the UKHSA should integrate messages around humidity levels into weather forecasts and heat health alerts.
- Government should take action to expand urban green space, particularly in disadvantaged areas.
- Government should clarify if Part O be expanded to refurbishments and if so, when and by what mechanisms is this to be acheived
- Part O should include post occupancy evaluations within the first year
- Government should establish a comprehensive national retrofit programme to address net zero and thermal comfort.
- Ministers must bring forward proposals for homewoners to access low cost finance to invest in home improvement measures.
- Government should launch a minister led public information campaign on the threat of heatwaves and the impact on human health.
- Met Office should trial the naming of heatwaves which could help with raising public awareness.
- UKHSA should evaluate the use of cooling centres as a response to excessive heat.
- Government should appoint a lead minister for heat resilience and set out details of the membership of the Climate Resilience Board and how often it has met.
- The Government should set out a timetable for the development of a national cooling plan as required by the Global Cooling Pledge.
We welcome these recommendations and will work with partners to review them and identify where the LCCP can support with their implementation.