Hello!
What a week for Britain’s capital to host its flagship climate event – London Climate Action Week. We have record-breaking heat. We have yet another Prime Minister resigning.
We have the France v Iraq World Cup match that was postponed midway due to a storm. And that’s just Monday. I’ll be posting a short video LCAW wrap later this week for those that want a recap.
But before we get into it, here are some stories that are also on my radar: |
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A tourist cools his face with water from a public drinking fountain outside the Colosseum during hot weather in Rome, Italy. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane |
A climate event during a climate event |
The LCAW event is taking place during the week that Britain is expected to smash heat records for June, prompting authorities to issue a rare extreme heat warning.
Temperatures in Britain are expected to reach 39 degrees Celsius (102.2 degrees Fahrenheit) by the middle of the week, the country's weather forecaster said on Monday, as part of a four-day heatwave which would easily break the record for June set at 35.6 C in 1957 and later matched in 1976.
Our Reuters Climate Monitor notes that it is currently 35 C in London, which is 16.2 C above the normal high for June from 1961-1990.
Issuing only its second ever heat-health alert following one in 2022, the UK Health Security Agency said there was a risk to life for even healthy people and advised the elderly to take extra care.
A severe heatwave has gripped much of Europe since the weekend, with temperatures nearing 40 C, prompting nationwide warnings, transport disruption and signs of strain on wildlife and at tourist hotspots.
The spike in temperatures is being driven by a mass of hot air moving north from the Sahara, fuelled by a strong high‑pressure system, which meteorologists say is creating a so‑called "heat dome," trapping hot air over western and central Europe and allowing temperatures to build day after day. |
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London’s main climate summit took place amid the backdrop of Labour leader and Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigning on Monday.
Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said: “Starmer will be remembered as the Prime Minister that failed to connect with voters’ demands for meaningful change after more than a decade of failed austerity policies and a cost-of-living crisis that has left millions struggling to make ends meet.
“These failures have overshadowed some of the genuinely positive environmental advances made by his government – such as its championing of clean energy, rejection of plans for the UK’s first deep coal mine in 30 years, and delivery of a stronger pathway for reducing our carbon emissions. Less can be said about its attacks on nature though, which will be more than a blot on his legacy,” he added.
During his resignation speech, Starmer highlighted his government’s achievements, citing an economy that is stronger and growing faster than peers, wage growth rising faster than inflation, new investment and infrastructure and the fastest fall in NHS waiting lists for 17 years. |
‘London isn’t just calling, it’s cooking’ |
The heat and humidity were impossible to ignore at the event held at London’s Guildhall - a gorgeous gothic style building with no air conditioning. “Today this city and far beyond are experiencing the hottest day of the year with higher temperatures to come. London isn’t just calling, it’s cooking,” said United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Asked about the United States’ retreat from environmental policies and the lack of political interest in the climate space, Guterres noted that the world would carry on without them.
China's environment minister shared a similar sentiment, commenting that global cooperation to tackle climate change will not stall because of the absence of certain countries, as nations prepare for this year's U.N. climate negotiations without the United States.
"The multilateral process will not stop, or even slow down, because of the absence of individual countries," Chinese environment minister Huang Runqiu told the meeting, describing the world's low-carbon transition as "irreversible". Keep scrolling for a story on China’s use of clean energy for its data centers. |
Shihab al-Suwaireki, a displaced Palestinian, rests on a mattress outside makeshift tents amid summer heat in Gaza City. REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas |
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Gaza heat: Residents of the Gaza Strip have been flocking from suffocating tents to the territory's polluted Mediterranean shore to bathe and wash their clothes, as summer temperatures rise and fresh water remains hard to come by. Nearly all Gaza's population was displaced during two years of war between Israel and Hamas, with Gazans now crammed into a narrow strip along the coast, mainly in tents and damaged buildings.
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India’s monsoon: A monsoon in India has been revived after its advance over western India stalled for two weeks. Rains are expected to move into the country's central regions this week, giving a boost to summer crop sowing and bringing relief from a heatwave, two senior weather officials said. The monsoon delivers about 70% of the country's annual rains and replenishes crucial water sources.
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China green data centers: China is planning to channel more green electricity directly into the rapidly growing data center industry. Authorities aim for renewables to supply four-fifths of the sector's total power consumption by 2030, a sharp rise from just 11% in 2023. Power demand from China's data centers is projected to rise by 300 billion to 500 billion kilowatt-hours between 2026 and 2030, according to Pei Shanpeng, a director of Chinese power firm State Power Investment Corp. Click here for the full story.
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California v EPA lawsuit: The state of California sued the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday after the agency sent its landmark state vehicle emissions rules for potential repeal. The EPA said waivers under the Clean Air Act for California environmental regulations approved under prior Democratic administrations should have been sent to lawmakers under the Congressional Review Act.
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Vaishali Nigam Sinha, co-founder and chairperson for sustainability at Indian renewable energy company ReNew, shares her thoughts on the relevance of events like London Climate Action Week: “The world is navigating a period of extraordinary uncertainty. Climate risks are intensifying, geopolitical tensions and conflicts in West Asia continue to reshape energy markets, and concerns around energy security are influencing policy choices. “Yet the need to decarbonize economies while sustaining growth, resilience and energy access has never been greater.
“Against this backdrop, platforms such as London Climate Action Week are more important than ever. “They bring together business leaders, policymakers, financiers, academics, and communities to forge partnerships and accelerate practical solutions. “The challenge ahead is immense. Global emissions need to fall by roughly 43% by 2030 to keep the 1.5°C goal within reach.
“Developing economies must continue to grow while pursuing lower-carbon pathways, supported by technology, innovation and affordable capital. “No stakeholder can deliver this transition alone. Convenings such as LCAW play a critical role in aligning action, investment and innovation at the scale required.” |
I’m flagging the Reuters Climate Monitor once again as it is a scorcher in the northern hemisphere this week |
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