Londoners Unprepared for ‘Lethal’ Climate Risks, Report Says

London isn’t ready to deal with climate risks including flooding and overheating, according to an independent review of government measures.

An interim report commissioned by the city’s mayor concluded that the British capital isn’t adapting quickly enough to mounting risks from global warming. That includes the potential failure of flood defenses along the Thames River, surface flooding from heavy rainfall, threats to water supplies and increasingly severe heat waves.

Compared with efforts to cut emissions, a relatively small amount of money has been invested globally in infrastructure and programs to adapt to climate change. That failure could end up costing billions in damages in the long run. The United Nations estimated in 2019 that spending around $1.8 trillion on adaptation measures by 2030 would generate $7.1 trillion in benefits.

“Londoners now face lethal risks,” said Emma Howard-Boyd, a former chair of the UK Environment Agency who oversaw the review. “In the absence of national leadership, regional government has a more significant role to play.”

The report echoes warnings from the Climate Change Committee, the UK’s official climate change adviser. Last year it said there was “very limited evidence” of measures needed to prepare the country for more extreme weather and instability.

Wednesday’s review called for updated housing standards to shield residents from overheating, something that has become more urgent after record-breaking temperatures in 2022 led to hundreds of deaths in London. It also called for a preparedness exercise to test the city’s resilience to severe heat.

“I welcome these recommendations,” London Mayor Sadiq Khan said, adding that he’s proposed an additional £3 million for climate adaptation in his latest budget and plans to carry out the preparedness exercise this year.