Resilient net zero: exploring low-emission cooling solutions to extreme heat

This report focuses on the exploration of existing low-emission cooling solutions to extreme heat through the review of international and UK evidence, with a particular focus on London. It also presents 14 case studies from around the world of how cities are tackling the risks from extreme heat.

Main messages

• With temperature extremes and heatwaves increasing in magnitude and frequency worldwide, extreme heat has become a global concern, particularly for urban areas, where the problem is exacerbated by the urban heat island effect.
• In London, extreme heat is not distributed evenly across the city, with some boroughs, building typologies and residents at higher risk than others.
• The London Climate Resilience Review and the extreme heat exercise ‘Operation Helios’ have highlighted the city’s need for a heat management strategy, a larger evidence base and learning opportunities related to heat planning and heatwave response, regional and local heat response plans, improved public messaging, and addressing inequalities in heat risk.
• A clear and robust heat governance framework with detailed roles and responsibilities is needed to bridge existing governance gaps across multiple sectors and organisations.
• The implementation of some measures might lead to increased emissions, further exacerbating warming in the long run; careful consideration for emission reductions needs to be made when choosing the portfolio of measures to be implemented.

Summary of recommendations for the UK

• Give higher prominence to low greenhouse gas emission approaches to enhance heat risk preparedness.
• Implement fully-funded, year-round, complementary low-emission preparedness and responses to heat risk.
• Reduce over-reliance on responsive measures; proactive responses to heat risk are needed to enhance low-emission approaches to improve heat risk preparedness and resilience.
• Identify and integrate ‘non-negotiable’ elements into measures to ensure the use of active responses that may result in emissions are part of a broader solution for heat risk preparedness in which those most affected and vulnerable to heat are not put further at risk.
• Learn from international experience and carefully consider establishing appropriate mechanisms such as Heat Officers and localised Heat Health Action Plans.
• Address heat inequalities and unintended consequences of low-emission cooling measures.
• Approach heat vulnerability as a dynamic phenomenon.
• Develop and implement Monitoring, Evaluation, Accountability and Learning (MEAL) standards and practices.

This short animation was designed to illustrate key findings from the report