The heat wave, which lasted between June 18 and July 1, resulted in England’s warmest June since records began in 1884, with daily maximum temperatures often reaching over 90°F. A provisional high of 37.7°C (99.86°F) was recorded at Lingwood, Strumpshaw Hill in Norfolk on June 26, the most significant new national record for June. High temperatures led to delayed and cancelled trains, while shops, offices, and schools were forced to close.
Read more: Why Is Europe So Ill-Equipped to Handle Heat Waves?
The figure is likely higher, says Robinson. “We don't include whether people have reduced their effort, [as in] the productivity per hour, because you can't measure that with the approach we take,” she notes. “So it gives us quite a conservative estimate of the economic costs of the heat wave.
Many respondents reported a number of adaptations to deal with the heat—be it changing the hours they worked, the effort they put into working, where they work, or their commute. Forty-nine percent of workers said they had access to air conditioning, while 27% said their employers made changes to the work environment to cool it down—like installing A.C., increasing ventilation, or providing shade.
Even still, the findings point to a country unprepared for heat waves—which are only expected to grow more frequent and intense with climate change. The U.K. is particularly vulnerable when it comes to heat waves. Much of the country’s housing stock is old, and built for a much cooler climate. Buildings were designed to keep heat in, turning them into furnaces during the now more frequently occurring heat waves. “The U.K. is built for a country that's cold and not too hot, and now we're having [what feels like] Mediterranean weather with buildings that are built to keep us warm, not to cool us down,” says Robinson.
Dasgupta also hopes that the findings encourage governments to create regulations around heat and working environments to ensure that heat adaptation becomes more widespread. “We need regulations in terms of either maximum temperature thresholds, mandatory rest breaks, or additional hydration breaks,” he says. “The effects are right now too significant for this to be left alone.”
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