Key facts
- London has launched its first heat plan, "Heat Ready London," to adapt to increasing extreme heat.
- Around one million homes in London are at high risk of overheating.
- The 2022 heatwaves cost London an estimated £1.5 billion.
- Mayor Sadiq Khan indicated that private investment is needed to address the financial costs of extreme heat.
- The plan prioritizes protecting vulnerable residents, retrofitting homes, and enhancing infrastructure resilience.
London is implementing its first comprehensive heat plan, "Heat Ready London," to address the growing threat of extreme temperatures and their significant financial implications. Mayor Sadiq Khan emphasized that the city faces an environmental, economic, public health, and social justice crisis due to rising heat, and that City Hall cannot manage the costs alone, necessitating private investment.
The "Heat Ready London" plan outlines a vision to protect the capital from increasingly frequent and severe heatwaves. Analysis indicates that approximately one million homes in London are at high risk of overheating, with numerous schools, hospitals, and care homes also located in high-risk areas. The city is projected to experience two to three times more heatwaves within the next two decades.
The financial toll of extreme heat is substantial. The 2022 heatwaves alone are estimated to have cost London £1.5 billion, impacting health, education, transport, energy use, emergency services, and productivity. Public services, including the London Fire Brigade, experienced unprecedented strain. Beyond economic costs, there are significant health impacts, with nearly 4,000 additional hospital attendances during hot weather and an estimated 300 preventable deaths annually attributed to heat.
The "Heat Ready London" strategy focuses on six key areas: the built environment, business and economy, emergency preparedness, health and care, green space and nature, and infrastructure. It includes measures such as retrofitting high-risk homes, expanding access to cooling spaces, improving infrastructure resilience, increasing tree cover, and enhancing public health communications during heat events.