Climate change doesn’t just threaten the places we love. It threatens our health too

The health of more than 12 million people – equivalent to the populations of Greater London and Greater Manchester combined - is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Millions in the UK are vulnerable to blistering heatwaves and major flood events, made more likely by climate change. 

Our latest report was launched February 2021 in collaboration with the UK Health Alliance on Climate Change and Priestley International Centre for Climate. It shows that approximately 1.8 million people in the UK are living in areas at significant risk of flooding - a number which could increase to 2.6 million by 2050. Just under 12 million people in the UK are also dangerously vulnerable to future summer heatwaves, particularly the elderly or people with pre-existing health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. 

The severe health issues related to climate change show that we must take urgent action to tackle the climate crisis, and protect the people we love from its impacts.

If decision-makers commit to take urgent, decisive action, we will live healthier lives with cleaner air and more green spaces. It is only through successful global action to reduce emissions we will stop climate change – and we must reduce our emissions as our contribution.