EDITOR’S OPINION: No avoiding a burning issue

1 July 2026

Given that 10 of the warmest years for the UK have occurred since 2006, with last year breaking records dating back to 1659, this year’s spate of heatwaves seems entirely predictable.

It makes you wonder why we didn’t all stock up on fans or look to exploit the spiralling demand for air conditioning systems when we had the chance. Rest assured, though, that there are many people making some good money out of the misery caused by rising temperatures and the resultant clamour for cooling solutions. 

… the consequences of climate change can no longer be considered as something that future generations will have to bear

Like a hungry man in desperate need of food, it is understandable for people to seek the quickest and most immediate way to reduce their heat discomfort – as internet searches for various and often suspiciously cheap portable air conditioners will testify – but we do need to take a longer-term view on how best to deal with the consequences of overheating. With relatively cold winters and mild summers, our homes have been constructed to keep heat in, not out, but now it seems that we need some fresh thinking about how we design buildings to cope with extreme heat.

A recent report from the Environmental Investigation Agency suggests that a ‘National Cooling Action Plan’ is needed to avoid the rapid expansion of air conditioning and a potential increase in electricity demand and greenhouse gas emissions (see page 6). While acknowledging that cooling should be recognised as a public health issue, the EIA  argues that passive cooling and climate-resilient urban planning can do much to mitigate the problems caused by rising temperatures. The report makes the case for the more widespread adoption of urban greening, shading and nature-based cooling solutions, to reduce energy use and ensure that air conditioning does not become the default response when temperatures rise.

While many would accept that AC is a justifiable investment in spaces housing more vulnerable residents, such as care homes and hospitals, it seems that rapid growth in the residential AC market is not something that should be altogether welcomed. Cities are more susceptible to overheating than rural areas and, as AC effectively moves heat from inside a building to the outside, there are fears that the generation of waste heat will only serve to exacerbate the discomfort of those who have to live or work in urban areas.

What is clear, though, is that the consequences of climate change can no longer be considered as something that future generations will have to bear. The regularity of wildfires across Europe and the number of  excess deaths attributed to overheating (a reported 2,700 in England and Wales during the May and June heatwaves) mean that the government cannot afford to spend months and years pondering over the formulation of a cooling strategy. Temperatures will inevitably drop and the nights get shorter, but that temporary respite should not be considered an opportunity to avert attention away from what is now clearly a burning issue.

Chris Jones is managing editor of EIBI