Damien Gayle

Children, especially those under five and babies, are more vulnerable to heat because they regulate temperature less effectively, recognise thirst less readily and heat up faster than adults. Heat exhaustion can cause excessive sweating, clamminess, dizziness, irritability, thirst, cramps, nausea and vomiting; heatstroke, marked by very high temperature, hot dry skin, confusion or loss of consciousness, is a medical emergency. Parents are advised to keep children hydrated, encourage rest in cool shaded places, use light loose clothing, monitor for warning signs and cool them with water or wet towels. Babies may need extra feeds, should not sleep in hot prams, and need good air circulation; the NHS recommends newborn rooms be kept at about 16C to 20C, with fans used indirectly.

Hundreds of residents across nine Poplar Harca housing blocks on the Devons Road estate in Tower Hamlets have experienced unreliable water pressure for months, with some going without running water for days or receiving it only overnight. The shortages have made washing, cooking and flushing toilets difficult, particularly for families, disabled residents and people with health conditions. Poplar Harca says it has supplied bottled water and other support while following statutory consultation procedures before installing pumps, and says Thames Water found pressure above Ofwat’s minimum standard. Tower Hamlets Council says it is working with the landlord to escalate concerns and support vulnerable residents, but affected households remain frustrated by the delays.

Hundreds of residents in nine Tower Hamlets housing blocks have experienced intermittent or inadequate water pressure for more than seven months, forcing families to rely on bottled water and struggle with cooking, washing and flushing toilets. Residents suspect nearby developments contributed to the problem. Poplar Harca says water has remained available but pressure has fluctuated, and is pursuing a section 20 consultation before installing new pump systems. Thames Water attributes the low pressure to extensive local development and plumbing issues, while a solicitor says urgent works could potentially have proceeded without waiting for the full consultation process. Repairs are scheduled in stages between August and September, meaning some households may face inadequate supply for nearly a year.

Kent County Council, led by Reform UK, has included 40 hectares of Oaken Wood near the existing Hermitage quarry in its mineral sites plan, potentially allowing the quarry to expand, although government approval and planning permission are still required. Campaigners, conservation groups and local Green councillors argue that the ancient woodland’s soils, fungi, wildlife and carbon-storage capacity are irreplaceable. Gallagher Group says the soil will be moved, non-native chestnuts removed and more than twice as much native woodland planted elsewhere, but opponents doubt that a complex woodland ecosystem can be recreated. Kentish ragstone is valued for restoring historic buildings such as the Tower of London and Canterbury Cathedral, creating a conflict between built-heritage conservation and nature protection.

A study of UK egg-production systems estimates that converting all production to organic free-range farming would produce about 2.316 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, nearly twice the 1.184 million tonnes estimated for a fully caged system. Organic free-range systems require more hens, have higher mortality, and score worse on modeled land use, acidification, and water eutrophication. Researchers and critics stress that the data are from 2009–2010 and omit factors such as pesticide toxicity, biodiversity, soil health, synthetic inputs, and animal welfare, highlighting a trade-off rather than a complete sustainability verdict.

An unusually intense El Niño, nicknamed “Godzilla,” could raise global temperatures by up to 3.6C and contribute to a new record-hot year. Climate scientists explain how the weather phenomenon interacts with the climate crisis, while analysts warn of major consequences including global food price shocks potentially lasting into 2028.

The UK is expected to enter its fourth heatwave of 2026, with temperatures reaching up to 35C on Wednesday after an exceptionally hot and dry July. Amber heat health alerts have been issued for eastern and south-eastern England, while yellow alerts cover several other regions, prompting warnings about dehydration, heat exhaustion and strain on vulnerable people and health services. Fire chiefs are urging the public to avoid disposable barbecues and carelessly discarded cigarettes as dry conditions raise wildfire risks, following recent fires in Scotland and numerous significant blazes in England and Wales. Experts say human-caused climate change is making heatwaves more frequent and intense, potentially requiring heatwave thresholds to be revised.

Thames Water will impose a hosepipe ban on more than 10 million customers in London and the Thames Valley, bringing the number affected by water-saving measures across England and Wales to about 23 million. The restrictions follow months of hot, exceptionally dry weather that have depleted water supplies, lowered river levels and reduced reservoir storage. The National Drought Group has placed eight English areas in prolonged dry weather conditions, the stage before drought. Farmers face early harvests, irrigation challenges and higher costs, while 53 wildfires have affected agricultural and protected land. The Met Office expects only limited, scattered rainfall, particularly in southern England, meaning drought conditions remain likely.

More than 20 million households across southern and south-east England and parts of Wales face hosepipe bans as prolonged heat and exceptionally low rainfall reduce river and reservoir levels. The restrictions prohibit non-essential hosepipe use, including watering gardens, filling pools and washing cars, with fines of up to £1,000; watering cans, greywater and collected rainwater remain permitted, alongside limited exemptions for newly planted vegetation and animal welfare. England is not formally in drought, but eight areas have entered prolonged dry weather, while record temperatures and July rainfall at only 3% of the long-term average indicate a significant risk. A £75m government and water-company campaign urges people to save 28 litres a day, although Greenpeace argues that water-network leakage is a much larger problem than household hosepipe use.

Greenpeace UK reports that water companies in England and Wales lose 2.87 billion litres of water daily through leaks, five times more than a nationwide hosepipe ban would conserve. The findings come as temporary use bans are implemented during severe heatwaves and declining reservoir and groundwater levels. Critics highlight longstanding underinvestment in infrastructure since privatisation, with new reservoirs largely absent for decades despite rising drought risks identified by climate advisers. Water UK says leakage has been reduced significantly and further cuts are planned, while high temperatures and increased demand strain supplies.

A community-run sustainability hub in Poplar is preparing to launch a sauna powered by methane from locally processed food waste. The site, developed by R‑Urban Poplar with support from the Women’s Environmental Network, integrates circular urban farming, micro‑allotments, repair workshops and a mushroom farm to strengthen local food systems and community ties in a densely populated, high‑poverty borough. A second nearby hub provides similar support, including a weekly market distributing affordable organic produce. Project leaders emphasize the sauna’s economic potential to help sustain broader environmental and social initiatives as residents cultivate food, build networks and adapt to climate pressures.

Scientists concluded that severe floods across West Africa were intensified by human‑driven climate change, turning seasonal rains into destructive events that killed dozens and displaced thousands. Analysis showed heavy three‑day rainfall has increased in both likelihood and intensity due to global heating, with such deluges now expected every few years. Researchers stressed that countries in the region must rapidly adapt while wealthier nations bear responsibility to support them, as greenhouse gas emissions continue to worsen extreme weather impacts.

Russian security services raided Indigenous activists across the country, leaving most fleeing or silenced, while Daria Egereva remains jailed on terrorism charges her supporters say are fabricated. Her work on climate and Indigenous rights, including at Cop30 and within UN forums, had raised her international profile. Melting permafrost and expanding extraction projects are intensifying pressures on northern Indigenous communities. Russian authorities link Egereva and fellow activist Natalia Leongardt to an extremist organisation, which both deny. Officials insist the case follows domestic law and that Russia protects Indigenous groups, while repression of civil society accelerates amid the war in Ukraine.

A Greenpeace report warns that ingredients commonly used in a traditional English roast dinner may have been treated with more than 100 pesticides, including several banned in the EU due to health and environmental risks. The findings highlight repeated applications of chemicals linked to cancer, endocrine disruption and ecological harm. Greenpeace urges steep reductions in pesticide use, alignment with EU standards and expanded organic farming. The National Farmers’ Union argues pesticides are highly regulated and necessary to maintain yields, while the UK government says strict residue limits and a national action plan aim to balance safety, sustainability and food security.

A UN report warns that global sand extraction, driven by construction and industry, is outpacing natural replenishment and damaging ecosystems, fisheries and livelihoods. Major reclamation projects in the Maldives, the Philippines and Indonesia have caused irreversible environmental harm, including destroyed coral reefs and devastated fishing communities. UNEP calls for stronger governance, better data and stricter environmental compliance as climate‑vulnerable regions continue to rely on sand‑based land expansion.

A proposed EU-UK sanitary and phytosanitary agreement may require the UK to restrict pre‑harvest use of glyphosate, aligning with EU rules that ban the practice due to health concerns. Environmental groups urge the government to phase out the herbicide, citing evidence of carcinogenic risks and widespread residues in food. As the UK’s glyphosate licence nears expiration, the chemical industry is lobbying for renewal and exemptions under the trade deal. Public awareness remains low, though most people surveyed express concern about chemical exposure in food.

Research involving 498 infants in London found that exposure to nitrogen dioxide and fine particulate matter during the first trimester of pregnancy delayed language development at 18 months, with premature babies also showing impaired motor skills. Researchers warn these effects may persist into later childhood and highlight persistent inequalities in pollution exposure, which disproportionately affects poorer and marginalised communities. Global data from WHO link widespread pollution exposure to significant public health risks, reinforcing calls for systemic changes to reduce environmental and health disparities.

Donald Trump attacked German chancellor Friedrich Merz after Merz said Iran was humiliating the United States and criticized Washington's lack of an exit strategy. Trump claimed Iran was collapsing and wanted the Strait of Hormuz reopened, but the report said those assertions were unverified. A Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump's approval at 34%, with similarly low support for his handling of the war and cost of living. The UAE announced it would leave Opec and Opec+, potentially weakening the oil cartel, while Gulf leaders met in Saudi Arabia over Iranian attacks and the disruption of energy shipments. Israel ordered evacuations in 16 southern Lebanese communities and continued operations against Hezbollah despite a ceasefire, while Lebanon accused Israel of severe environmental damage. US-Iran negotiations remained stalled over the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran's nuclear program.

Lebanon’s environment minister accuses Israel of committing ecocide in a report documenting extensive environmental destruction during the 2023–2024 conflict, including major forest loss, agricultural devastation, soil contamination and severe air pollution. The report estimates damages at $25bn and calls for international support, while experts warn that conditions have worsened since the study period. The Israel Defense Forces say precautions are taken to reduce harm to civilians and the environment.

Avara Foods, its subsidiary Freemans of Newent, and Welsh Water challenged a large environmental lawsuit alleging they caused severe pollution in the River Wye and River Usk. Claimants argue that agricultural and sewage‑related runoff from intensive chicken farming and waste spreading led to algal blooms, ecological decline and personal harm. Defence lawyers contend the claims lack scientific basis and require individual proof of damage. More than 1,300 people have joined the case, which the judge criticised as overly broad, and further hearings are expected.

Revised UK government figures show carbon emissions from AI datacentres could reach up to 123 million tonnes over the next decade, more than 100 times higher than previously estimated. The update raises alarm over the energy demands of hyperscale AI infrastructure and its implications for the country’s climate goals. Environmental watchdogs, including Global Witness and Foxglove, criticize the government for inadequate analysis as the projected AI buildout threatens progress toward net‑zero commitments.

MPs called for urgent restrictions on PFAS in consumer products after investigating severe contamination in Bentham, urging bans on non‑essential uses from next year. The Environmental Audit Committee criticized the government’s existing plan as inadequate and recommended group‑based restrictions to prevent harmful replacements. Environmental groups supported stronger action, while some experts argued the proposals failed to address major industrial sources of PFAS pollution.

Research on common UK garden birds found widespread contamination of feathers with neurotoxic insecticides used in pet flea and tick treatments, prompting conservationists and veterinary professionals to call for tighter regulation. The study detected permethrin, imidacloprid, fipronil and the banned pesticide chlorpyrifos in nearly all samples. Experts warn that chronic exposure may impair development in fledgling birds, and advocate limiting routine preventive use by making treatments prescription-only. The government has launched an evidence-gathering consultation to consider potential restrictions amid broader efforts to reduce environmental pollution.

Sarah Finch, whose landmark UK supreme court case required fossil fuel projects to account for emissions from burning extracted fuels, has been awarded the Goldman Environmental prize alongside five other women recognized for grassroots environmental activism across six global regions. The ruling she helped secure has influenced decisions against new oil, coal, and agricultural projects. Fellow honorees include activists from Nigeria, South Korea, Alaska, Colombia, and Papua New Guinea, all noted for significant environmental victories. The Goldman Environmental Foundation highlighted the importance of women’s leadership in global environmental efforts.

An environmental activist’s challenge to oil drilling in Surrey led to a landmark UK supreme court ruling requiring climate impacts from burning fossil fuels to be included in planning decisions. The judgment overturned approval for major coal and oil projects and forced the government to revise industry guidance. Despite threats from potential regulatory changes and renewed pressure for fossil fuel extraction, the ruling remains one of the most significant climate decisions in recent decades, and the activist was awarded the Goldman Environmental prize for her efforts.

A thinktank report argues that an $8bn investment in renewable energy could permanently end Cuba’s vulnerability to a US-imposed energy blockade and dramatically reduce reliance on imported fossil fuels. The analysis outlines multiple scenarios showing large-scale solar, wind, hydro and bioenergy deployment, with even minimal investment lowering electricity costs. It highlights recent blackouts triggered by restricted oil shipments following a US executive order and frames the proposed transition as reparative climate finance that could inspire similar efforts across the Caribbean.

South East Water’s chief executive, David Hinton, will refuse his bonus following major water outages that left thousands of customers in Kent and Sussex without supply. Appearing before MPs, Hinton and company chair Chris Train accepted significant failures, while regulators described the firm’s response as among the worst seen. Customer confidence has dropped sharply, with many residents now stockpiling bottled water. MPs questioned why the company continued awarding bonuses and maintained existing leadership despite repeated operational failures.

Use of glyphosate in the UK has increased more than tenfold over three decades, prompting renewed calls from campaigners for a phase-out or ban as its safety is increasingly questioned. Government data show heavy agricultural dependence on the herbicide despite a World Health Organization classification linking it to potential cancer risks. Experts note that regenerative farming practices have reinforced reliance on glyphosate, while international legal actions and health findings have amplified concerns. UK officials maintain that strict regulations ensure safe use, even as Europe has moved toward tighter restrictions.