UK’s 20th century climate ‘has now gone’ as extremes become the norm – report

Robert Palmer, deputy director of Uplift, said: “These are frightening figures which show climate change is happening now in the UK.

“It is particularly being felt by workers on the frontline, such as farmers and fire fighters, as well affecting people’s health and children’s education.

“And we know it is also claiming thousands of lives, with 2,700 excess heatwave deaths in May and June alone. That’s people’s loved ones who would have otherwise lived.

“Excessive heatwaves will get more frequent and intense the longer we stay hooked on fossil fuels. The science is clear that the world already has far more oil and gas than can be burned safely if we want to maintain a liveable climate for ourselves and our children.

“And yet, there are some politicians who have a Trumpian obsession with more North Sea drilling, which would do nothing to lower bills and very little for our energy security, as most of what’s left is oil for export.

“These politicians are playing with people’s lives and need to be called out for refusing to acknowledge the costs of climate change that we’re all feeling right now.

“We need a government that will put the public’s need for lower bills and a safe climate ahead of oil company profits, and speed up the shift to clean energy.”