{"id":86433,"date":"2026-06-03T08:45:55","date_gmt":"2026-06-03T07:45:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/granthaminstitute\/?page_id=86433"},"modified":"2026-09-03T00:35:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-02T23:35:48","slug":"national-heat-risk-commission","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/granthaminstitute\/national-heat-risk-commission\/","title":{"rendered":"National Heat Risk Commission"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Preparing for a hotter climate<\/span><\/h2>\n

The National Heat Risk Commission is an independent commission established in 2026 to help the UK prepare for the growing risks of extreme heat.<\/p>\n

These risks are already manifesting and were brought to the fore in July 2022 when the temperature in the UK passed 40⁰C for the first time in recorded history. Summer 2026 was also record-breaking with five heatwaves, high temperatures, widespread drought and wildfires. Critical infrastructure, public services, businesses and supply chains faced significant pressures. Estimated heat-related deaths in England from the May and June heatwaves alone nearly matched the record total for the whole of 2022.<\/p>\n

The Commission’s work is intended to support the broader national effort on resilience. Our case is not that heat matters more than other hazards but rather that the gap between the scale of the risk and the current response is wider for heat than for almost any other climate hazard the UK faces.<\/p>\n

In September 2026 we published our framing report, A Heat Circuit Breaker for the UK<\/a>, and launched our Call for Evidence<\/a> – find out more below.<\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n

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Further details about the Commission<\/h2>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\n National Heat Risk Commission – About us<\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n National Heat Risk Commission – Contact us<\/a>\n <\/div>\n
\n National Heat Risk Commission – call for evidence<\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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News<\/h2>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n Press release<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n National Heat Risk Commission highlights failure to prepare for high temperatures after summer of unprecedented heatwaves and wildfires <\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n Press release <\/a>\n \n \n on 3 September, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n Press release<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n Grantham Institute and National Heat Risk Commission respond to ONS figures on climate-related mortality for England and Wales<\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n Press release <\/a>\n \n \n on 26 August, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n In the news<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n Fires, Heat Waves, Typhoons. It’s Time to Get Used to Hot Summers.<\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n In the news <\/a>\n \n
\n \n featuring <\/span>\n Emma Howard Boyd<\/a> <\/div>\n \n on 25 August, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n Press release<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n Grantham and National Heat Risk Commission response to heatwave and wildfires<\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n Press release <\/a>\n \n \n on 14 August, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n Press release<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n Response to Met Office confirmation that summer 2026 is on course to be UK’s hottest on record<\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n Press release <\/a>\n \n \n on 11 August, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n In the news<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n May and June heatwaves killed about 2,700 people in England and Wales, data suggests<\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n In the news <\/a>\n \n
\n \n featuring <\/span>\n Emma Howard Boyd<\/a> <\/div>\n \n on 13 July, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
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Publications and commentaries <\/h2>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n Policy publication<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n A heat circuit breaker for the UK<\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n Policy publication <\/a>\n \n
\n \n by <\/span>\n Emma Howard Boyd<\/a>, Sam Longman<\/span> and Caitlin Douglas<\/a> <\/div>\n \n on 3 September, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
\n <\/path><\/path><\/svg> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n Commentary<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n A turning point for adaptation, and the moment to take heat seriously<\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n Commentary <\/a>\n \n
\n \n by <\/span>\n Emma Howard Boyd<\/a> <\/div>\n \n on 20 May, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
\n <\/path><\/path><\/svg> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n
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\n \"\" <\/div>\n\n Commentary<\/a> <\/div>\n \n
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\n Speech to the Network Rail Weather and Climate Conference<\/a>\n <\/h2>\n \n
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\n \n Commentary <\/a>\n \n
\n \n by <\/span>\n Emma Howard Boyd<\/a> <\/div>\n \n on 17 May, 2026 <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \n \n \n
\n <\/path><\/path><\/svg> <\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n
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National Heat Risk Commission Team<\/h2>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Emma Howard Boyd<\/a><\/h3>\n\n

Professor in Practice<\/p>\n \n \n <\/div>\n\n

\n \n \n Read more about Emma Howard Boyd <\/span>\n \"\" <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/article>\n <\/div>\n
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Caitlin Douglas<\/a><\/h3>\n\n

Policy Fellow (UK Adaptation)<\/p>\n \n \n <\/div>\n\n

\n \n \n Read more about Caitlin Douglas <\/span>\n \"\" <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/article>\n <\/div>\n
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Bob Ward<\/a><\/h3>\n\n

Policy and Communications Director<\/p>\n \n \n <\/div>\n\n

\n \n \n Read more about Bob Ward <\/span>\n \"\" <\/a>\n <\/div>\n<\/article>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"page-templates\/full-width.php","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[],"topic_area":[],"class_list":["post-86433","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNational Heat Risk Commission - Grantham Research Institute on climate change and the environment<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/granthaminstitute\/national-heat-risk-commission\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"National Heat Risk Commission - 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