Fiona Harvey

A Common Wealth report urges the UK government to create state-backed “solar bonds” to finance rooftop solar installations at roughly half current market interest rates. The proposed 25-year loans would be attached to properties and repaid through energy bills, potentially saving households about £250 annually while giving retail investors interest of 4% to 5%. The proposal is aimed at overcoming upfront costs of £5,000 to £10,000 and widening access for lower-income households. Solar Energy UK supports the idea, while the government points to existing VAT reductions, green-levy changes and planned zero- or low-interest loans for solar panels, batteries and heat pumps. Nearly 150,000 UK solar installations were recorded in the first half of 2026.

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification’s Cop17 summit in Ulaanbaatar will focus on deploying more than $12bn pledged to help 74 drought-affected countries. The funding is intended to support efficient irrigation, drought-resistant crops, rainwater storage and other land-restoration projects, but remains far below the estimated $2.6tn needed by 2030. Extreme heat, wildfires, food-price risks and a potential super El Niño have increased the urgency, while organizers are seeking greater private-sector participation and stronger recognition that land degradation threatens food security, migration management and supply chains.

Yvette Cooper says the NHS must prepare for recurring summer demand peaks as climate change makes extreme heat more frequent in the UK. Heatwaves have already increased emergency attendances, caused equipment and cooling failures, and contributed to an estimated 2,877 heat-related deaths in England. The government plans to improve hospital cooling and wider infrastructure resilience, while the Climate Change Committee has urged air conditioning in hospitals and care homes within a decade. Medical bodies say the NHS has little capacity to protect staff and patients from heat. The wider crisis has also brought drought, hosepipe bans, wildfire risks and threats to food production, prompting calls for faster access to home cooling and greater government action.

Increasingly frequent heatwaves are placing pressure on UK public services and essential sectors. London bus drivers face cab temperatures near 40C, while rail embankment damage, warped tracks and vehicle breakdowns disrupt transport. Drought and record heat threaten the worst harvest on record, reducing cereal and oilseed yields, weakening grass growth for livestock and driving up fresh-food prices. Workers in poorly ventilated buildings lack a legal maximum temperature, prompting calls for new protections, while courts and libraries are adapting to unsafe conditions. Schools also face heat-related inequalities and potential effects on pupil performance, with recommendations for air conditioning and changes to exam scheduling. The NHS is being urged to prepare for annual summer heat pressures as climate adaptation becomes an increasingly urgent public-service priority.

The developing El Niño weather system could push about 50 million additional people into acute hunger by the end of 2027, on top of 225 million people already facing severe food insecurity across 45 countries. Central and South America, the Caribbean and southern Africa are expected to be among the hardest-hit regions, while reduced rainfall in South and Southeast Asia could damage agriculture. The World Food Programme is allocating at least $80 million for early-warning and anticipatory relief efforts, but limited data and funding could hamper the response. Food-price pressures may spread globally, particularly if major exporting countries restrict exports, and the worst effects in southern Africa may emerge during the 2027–28 lean season.

Farmers, landowners, firefighters, Liberal Democrats and many Labour MPs are urging a temporary ban on disposable barbecues in England and Wales as hot, dry conditions increase wildfire risks. More than 20,000 hectares are estimated to have burned across the UK this year, with fires threatening crops, livestock, infrastructure and sensitive landscapes. The government says it will not impose a blanket ban, citing product-safety rules and councils’ existing powers to prohibit barbecues in high-risk areas. Landowners also want England to lift restrictions on controlled burning, while conservationists and experts debate grazing, rewilding and habitat management as wildfire-prevention measures.

A strengthening El Niño is expected to bring higher global temperatures and disrupt rainfall patterns from August to October, raising the risk of below-normal monsoon rainfall in India and increased drought, flooding and wildfire risks around the Indian Ocean. Drier conditions are also forecast in parts of Africa, Australia, the Americas and elsewhere, while heavier rainfall is expected in southern Europe, central Asia, the Horn of Africa and south-eastern South America. The World Meteorological Organization says unusually warm Pacific waters and record ocean heat could make this El Niño significantly more intense, while UN secretary general António Guterres warns that climate change and fossil-fuel use are amplifying heatwaves, wildfires, marine heatwaves and risks to workers. WMO chief Celeste Saulo calls on governments to use the forecasts to prepare for impending hazards.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s indication that he may take a pragmatic approach to approving the Rosebank oilfield and Jackdaw gasfield has triggered warnings of a revolt among Labour MPs. Critics argue that new North Sea drilling would do little to reduce energy bills, increase emissions and undermine the government’s net-zero and green-industrial strategy, particularly as the UK experiences drought, heatwaves and wildfires. Some Labour MPs may tolerate approval of the two projects if the government rules out further licences and recommits to rapid decarbonisation, but concerns remain that the issue could cost Labour climate-conscious voters and drive defections to the Greens. Decisions are expected after consultations conclude in mid-August, with the wider political dispute likely to continue ahead of the October budget.

Ed Miliband is expected to take the UK’s seat on the World Bank board, personally signalling that climate action and international development will be central to British foreign policy. His appointment comes as the bank faces pressure from the Trump administration to reduce its climate focus and after it abandoned a target for 45% of financing to support climate-related aims. Experts welcomed the move but urged the UK to secure faster, larger climate finance for poorer countries and restore funding for nature protection. Miliband will face significant constraints from cuts to the UK’s overseas-aid and climate-finance budgets, while the country’s forthcoming G20 leadership could provide an opportunity to shape the global financial response to climate, food-security and energy crises.

Ed Miliband is portrayed as one of the Starmer government’s most effective ministers, having accelerated renewable-energy deployment, reformed grid connections, expanded clean-energy investment and advanced measures intended to reduce fuel poverty. Despite this record, he has faced sustained attacks from rightwing media, the Conservatives, Reform UK, fossil-fuel interests and parts of Labour, particularly over net zero and proposed North Sea developments such as Rosebank and Jackdaw. His move from energy secretary to the Foreign Office means he may not oversee the next phase of domestic energy reform, although his climate expertise and international relationships could strengthen Britain’s role in global climate diplomacy. The wider clean-energy transition is presented as increasingly entrenched, even as high fossil-fuel prices, the gas-linked electricity market and political opposition continue to burden households and businesses.

An environmental impact assessment for the Jackdaw gasfield says it would create only 27 additional direct full-time jobs, despite broader industry claims of thousands of jobs. The field’s owner, Adura, a Shell-Equinor joint venture, argues that Jackdaw and Rosebank would support 3,500 jobs during peak construction, sustain 880 jobs during production and generate substantial economic value and tax revenue. Greenpeace and Uplift dispute those claims, saying tax breaks would limit public returns and that the projects would mainly benefit fossil-fuel companies and shareholders. Andy Burnham faces pressure to approve the developments despite Labour’s pledge against new oil and gas licences, while experts and campaigners question their contribution to UK energy security and climate goals.

Andy Burnham faces urgent climate and economic pressures as incoming UK prime minister, with heatwaves, rising energy costs and North Sea drilling decisions demanding immediate action. His record in Manchester shows progress on net zero targets, public transport electrification and green growth, though past retreats such as pausing a clean air zone raise concerns. Experts argue that new fossil fuel projects like Jackdaw or Rosebank would not reduce energy bills, emphasizing instead market reforms and renewable expansion. Burnham’s interest in reindustrialisation and public control of utilities is seen as compatible with a low‑carbon strategy, while the presence of climate advocate Ed Miliband in the government could shape a stronger national agenda.

Experts warn that England risks constructing buildings vulnerable to dangerous overheating as research shows only half of local authority plans require cooling or ventilation strategies. Reports by the Royal Town Planning Institute and the Town and Country Planning Association highlight gaps between local authorities’ climate intentions and actual planning practices, while the Woodland Trust finds low tree cover exacerbates heat exposure. Concerns are raised that current regulations, including the future homes standard, are insufficient and exclude key building types such as schools and care homes. The government says national standards address overheating but is reviewing regulations for buildings converted from commercial use.

An analysis of nearly 2,500 articles in nine major UK national newspapers found that about 72% of coverage of the record-breaking June heatwave made no reference to climate change, while fewer than one in 20 mentioned net zero. The Financial Times had the highest rate of climate-linked coverage, followed by The Guardian, while The Sun ranked lowest. Scientists and climate analysts said fossil-fuel emissions had intensified the heat and urged media outlets to explain the connection more clearly. Imperial College London research estimated that about 1,100 UK deaths in May and June would not have occurred without the additional heat attributed to the climate crisis.

A swift nest was reportedly discarded in a skip during council‑commissioned house renovations in Jarrow, prompting concerns from conservationists that multiple nests may have been destroyed. A surviving swiftlet was rescued in poor condition, while nest debris was removed from the site before further checks. South Tyneside council suspended work and launched an investigation, stressing that contractors receive ecological guidance. Conservationists highlighted declining swift populations, the risks posed by building work, and the government’s refusal to mandate swift bricks in new homes. A contractor involved declined to comment, and past issues with the same company were noted.

MPs warn that an unpublished intelligence report outlines catastrophic national security risks for the UK stemming from global ecosystem collapse, including food shortages, migration pressures and potential conflict. The government’s refusal to release the full document has drawn criticism amid concerns that cuts to aid and climate finance undermine efforts to address these threats. Ministers maintain that existing funding will target nature protection, while the report highlights the Amazon and other critical ecosystems nearing tipping points that could destabilize global food systems and increase unrest.

Research from the New Economics Foundation and the Finance Innovation Lab suggests that Bank of England‑backed low‑interest loans could enable up to 8 million UK households to install solar panels without direct government spending. Households could save an average of £250 annually even after loan repayments, potentially freeing up funds allocated to the Warm Homes Plan. The proposal follows fluctuating past government schemes but comes amid rising demand for rooftop solar installations driven by high energy prices and geopolitical instability. Experts highlight strong market growth and note that a significant majority of UK homes are suitable for solar power.

Global livestock numbers have risen by about 50% since 2006, driving increased demand for cropland and water and intensifying pressure on natural ecosystems. Research from a coalition of campaign groups finds that higher fertiliser use and slurry runoff are contributing to marine dead zones, while emissions from livestock have grown more than 20% since 2001. Experts argue that efficiency gains are outweighed by sheer increases in animal populations and call for reduced meat consumption and a shift in public development bank investments away from industrial livestock systems.

Labour MPs urged Andy Burnham to reject approval of the Rosebank oilfield, citing research showing its emissions would equal most of the UK’s annual output and arguing it would not reduce energy prices or bolster the economy. They warned that escalating heatwaves and wildfires underscore the need to cut fossil fuel reliance and prioritise a clean energy transition. Industry advocates, Conservatives, Reform UK and some unions continue to push for more North Sea drilling, but experts including the International Energy Agency’s Fatih Birol say new fields will not lower prices or create sustainable employment. More than 60 Labour MPs and MSPs have voiced opposition, stressing that expanding fossil fuel extraction risks undermining green jobs, climate goals and political stability within the party.

Record-breaking heat across Europe prompted EU climate chief Teresa Ribera to call for rejecting climate‑denial narratives she links to fossil fuel interests. She warned that the heatwave exposes vulnerabilities in food production, public health and infrastructure, and urged governments to strengthen investment in clean energy and resilience. Ribera highlighted Europe’s economic opportunities in renewable energy and pointed to Spain’s low electricity costs as evidence of the benefits of its rapid green transition. She cautioned that delays in decarbonisation would undermine global confidence in climate policy and also raised concerns about the water and energy demands of expanding AI datacentres.

Cheaper post‑Brexit Australian imports, lost EU market access, and disrupted subsidy reforms have pushed UK farmers into steep financial decline while food prices for consumers have risen. Farmers face reduced payments, new trade friction, labour shortages and increased paperwork, with many smaller producers struggling to survive. Environmental regulations and land‑management schemes remain inconsistent and underfunded, while both UK and EU agricultural policies draw criticism for failing nature and rural livelihoods. Experts warn that British food risks becoming a niche luxury as structural pressures intensify.

Mariana Mazzucato argues that governments must reclaim an active, purposeful role in shaping economies to address inequality and the climate crisis. She criticises the Labour government under Keir Starmer for lacking direction and urges a shift toward a mission-driven common good economy. Mazzucato contends that markets alone cannot solve systemic problems and that public investment, community infrastructure, and citizen participation are essential. Her new book promotes an economy rooted in shared objectives, human flourishing, and collective wellbeing, while rejecting both neoliberal market fixes and anti-growth movements, insisting that systemic change must occur within existing political frameworks to meet climate deadlines.

Net zero policy is described as economically beneficial, widely supported by voters and central to Labour’s political coalition, with experts warning Andy Burnham against weakening commitments as he faces pressure from sceptics. Analysts argue that retreating from climate goals risks electoral losses, undermines jobs in the growing green economy and erodes investor confidence. Burnham’s previous environmental record and the accelerating impacts of extreme heat reinforce calls from unions, researchers and environmental groups for him to maintain strong climate and clean energy policies if he becomes prime minister.

Longstanding failures to adapt school buildings to rising temperatures have left many in England and Wales unfit for extreme heat, with some modern structures performing worse than century‑old designs. Headteachers report severe overheating in newer schools built to outdated guidelines, while government efforts to refurbish and retrofit buildings lag behind escalating climate impacts. The Climate Change Committee warns that adaptation plans remain inadequate and highlights education as a priority area, recommending air conditioning and reconsideration of the school calendar. Despite new investment programmes, upgrading more than 22,000 state schools will require far greater funding as experts stress the urgent need for immediate climate adaptation.

Warnings from the UK’s chief climate adviser stress that weakening net zero policy would harm investor confidence, disrupt businesses and increase reliance on expensive fossil fuels. The Climate Change Committee’s latest report notes strong progress in renewable energy and electric vehicles, but highlights slow uptake of heat pumps due to high costs and energy pricing structures. Political scrutiny surrounding Andy Burnham’s stance on green policy is rising following Keir Starmer’s resignation. The report argues that consistent climate policy is essential for economic growth and urges the next prime minister to accelerate clean energy deployment, reform electricity pricing, and support low‑income households in decarbonising. Interest in solar panels, EVs and home batteries is rising, though the UK remains behind European peers in heat pump adoption.

Private sector commitments to the UK’s green economy have surpassed £100bn, largely focused on offshore wind, solar power and upgrades to the electricity grid. Ed Miliband argues the investment demonstrates the potential for clean energy to drive growth and reindustrialisation, countering claims that net zero policies harm the economy. Experts say renewable energy and electrification offer the most effective path to reducing costs and shielding the UK from global energy shocks. Political debate continues within Labour over future net zero commitments as Andy Burnham signals openness to expanded oil and gas drilling, while analysts stress that consistent policy is essential to sustaining green investment.

Political attacks from right‑wing parties undermined the UK government’s climate and energy agenda despite strong public support for net zero policies. Keir Starmer’s backing for renewable energy and emissions reduction was undercut by internal advisers wary of voter defections, leading to diluted investment commitments and openings for the Green Party and Liberal Democrats to attract disillusioned voters. Experts argue these retreats conflicted with polling that shows widespread support for climate action. While investments in renewables have lowered wholesale electricity prices and boosted uptake of solar panels, heat pumps and electric cars, disputes over nature protections and planning rules further weakened Labour’s environmental standing. The International Energy Agency supported the government’s moratorium on new North Sea oil and gas licences, but internal divisions and anti‑nature rhetoric complicated its message. Observers warn that Labour risks further erosion of support unless it maintains strong commitments to climate and environmental policy.

Electrification emerged as a central focus of pre‑Cop31 climate talks in Bonn, with Turkey and Australia proposing a target for 35% of global final energy to come from electricity by 2035. Delegates clashed over scientific language and the inclusion of the 1.5C goal, as some countries sought to weaken references to established climate science. Pacific nations and UN leadership pushed back, warning against delays and political interference. While discussions on a just transition showed progress, climate finance negotiations stalled, with developing countries expressing frustration over unmet commitments. Advances in electric technologies and falling costs were noted as key enablers of large‑scale energy transformation, though geopolitical tensions and resistance from several major countries threaten to slow momentum ahead of Cop31.

Australia is expected to shift from fossil fuel exports to clean energy products as global markets move toward net zero, according to climate minister Chris Bowen. Speaking at UN preparatory climate talks in Bonn, he said Australia’s strong growth in renewables and batteries positions it to become a major exporter of green energy and clean‑powered goods. Bowen noted that fossil fuels face shrinking demand and urged preparation for global economic change amid rising domestic opposition from right‑wing groups. He highlighted opportunities in green hydrogen, power exports and AI services. Ahead of Cop31 in Turkey, electrification remains a central issue, with officials stressing its importance in meeting climate targets.

Public procurement of electricity, allowing the government to act as a single buyer, could save households in England, Scotland and Wales nearly £200 annually by breaking the link between gas and electricity prices. Research for the thinktank Common Wealth argues that current pricing allows gas to disproportionately influence electricity costs, generating windfall profits for private operators. The proposed model would use publicly accountable contracts, incorporate a strategic gas reserve, and pay legacy generators through public power purchase agreements, potentially saving up to £74bn over five years under high gas prices. The government plans to raise the windfall tax on generators but faces criticism that deeper reform is required to significantly lower consumer bills.

Wealthy individuals are responsible for a disproportionately large share of global greenhouse gas emissions through their ownership of carbon‑intensive companies and assets, with Greenpeace estimating their activities cause nearly $1tn in annual climate damage. The top 1 percent by wealth account for about 40 percent of ownership‑based emissions, while the bottom half of the global population contributes only 3 percent. Greenpeace argues that climate policy should pay greater attention to asset ownership and calls for measures such as wealth taxes to address the imbalance. Broader concerns over rising inequality and climate responsibility are highlighted as governments prepare for UN climate negotiations focused on achieving a just transition away from fossil fuels.

Turkey’s Cop31 president Murat Kurum urged a global goal for 35% of final energy demand to be met by electricity by 2035 to accelerate emissions cuts, emphasising the need to electrify transport, heating and industry. Australia’s climate minister Chris Bowen highlighted electrification as key to addressing climate‑related disasters and energy crises. UN climate chief Simon Stiell underscored the urgency of action amid intensifying heatwaves and the threat of a super El Niño. The International Energy Agency will prepare a roadmap for achieving the target. Turkey also prioritised halving global waste growth by 2035 as governments meet in Bonn to set Cop31 agendas.

Rising oil prices driven by the US‑Israeli war with Iran and the closure of the strait of Hormuz are accelerating global demand for biofuels, raising concerns that diverting crops to fuel production will intensify food price inflation and heighten the risk of a global food crisis. Analysts from Transport & Environment warn that increased biofuel production competes with food crops for land and fertiliser, with past crises showing significant impacts on maize and soybean prices. Forecasts suggest food prices in the US will rise further this year due to the conflict. Experts argue that electrification and renewable energy offer far more efficient and sustainable alternatives to crop‑based fuels, which remain carbon‑intensive and environmentally damaging.

Global antibiotic use in livestock is projected to rise sharply by 2040, risking increased antimicrobial resistance and major threats to human health. A UN Food and Agriculture Organization report warns that continued reliance on antibiotics for growth promotion and disease prevention could increase usage by 30 percent, reversing earlier reductions. Experts argue that better farming practices and stricter regulations could prevent this surge, with economic losses from resistance far outweighing the cost of phasing out growth promoters. Advocacy groups urge the UK to strengthen standards in line with upcoming EU bans on imports produced with antibiotics used for growth promotion, while the UK government maintains that its food standards remain high.