London climate event cancelled amid heat warning

Organisers cancelled a climate event scheduled for Wednesday at the Shaw Library at the London School of Economics after the Met Office issued a red weather warning for Greater London. The event, titled "Extreme Heat: Improving governance and strengthening action around the world," was part of Climate Action Week and hosted by the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment.

Cancellation details The Zurich Climate Resilience Alliance said the venue lacks cooling systems and that holding the event would expose speakers and guests to unsafe indoor conditions on top of hot travel. The alliance posted an apology on social media Tuesday and advised Londoners to stay safe during the alert period, which runs from 9 a.m. Wednesday to 9 p.m. Friday.

Forecast and health guidance The Met Office forecast temperatures of 38 C to 40 C across parts of England and Wales, with overnight lows remaining above 23 C and high humidity continuing through the period. The UK Health Security Agency warned that the heat is likely to increase fatalities, especially among people over 65 or with underlying health conditions.

Chris Anderson, a climate risk and resilience expert at Practical Action, told The Independent that early warnings help but that faster adaptation measures are needed.