Most UK heatwave coverage failed to mention climate crisis, analysis finds

journalismJul 14, 202634558

The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit analysed nearly 2,500 articles in nine UK national newspapers about the late June heatwave and found about 72% made no reference to climate change or global heating. The analysis covered output from Monday 22 June to Sunday 28 June and tracked mentions of “climate change,” “climate,” “global warming” and the phrase “net zero”; fewer than one in 20 heatwave stories mentioned “net zero.” Temperatures topped 37C in June, a record for the time of year, and scientists said the extreme heat would not have been possible without human interference in the climate system. Imperial College London published research estimating about 2,700 people died from overheating in England and Wales in May and June, and about 1,100 of those deaths were attributable to the additional heat added by the climate crisis. The Financial Times had the highest share of climate-linked heat stories, with 50 of 78 articles making the connection, and the Guardian linked climate to roughly half of its 131 pieces; the Independent published 783 heatwave stories, 304 of which mentioned the climate. Lower rates of climate mentions were recorded at the Mail, the Express, the Mirror and the Sun, and University of Reading climate scientist Ed Hawkins said the public needs the media to explain that greenhouse gas emissions have made heatwaves hotter than they would otherwise have been.

Tim Stephens

@proftimstephens.bsky.social

Incredible. We have a potentially terrifying summer ahead of us in Australia. #climatecrisis

7610h ago

You Think You Have Time7

Yep, super el nino. I can't help the anticipatory grief ahead of apocalyptic firestorms and all the animals that will die because humans 😭💔

Kenbehren6

And yet no plans from the govt to alleviate the issues we have seen already in the northern hemisphere, that will arise- power outages, health issues, etc #auspol

Paul M5

Oh great, lots of places around here have already destocked, recent rains have encouraged a bit of growth, I reckon we'll be seeing some grass fires from late spring.

Quoting this

Kate-Eviva3

Actually it will be more than just terrifying next Summer. We need to stop arguing about irrelevant power tussles and boys toys and start now to plan together what must be done to minimise the impact and manage the disaster. #auspol

Dr Alan Nixon3

3.6C median on #SuperElNino #Data! 0.8C above previous #HeatRecords! #ClimateReality #Australia #auspol This is so bad for everyone, worldwide. Plus it means a huge jump up to the next heat plateau. Bad. Bad. Bad... www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoKz...

Damian Carrington

@dpcarrington.bsky.social

Europe recorded 10,000 excess deaths during late-June heatwave, data show #climatecrisis HT @carbonbrief.org www.reuters.com/business/env...

4023h ago

Quoting this

association collaborative d'adoration de bridget26

On remerciera bp et total directement responsable de cette catastrophe Ainsi que les banques évidemment qui continue d'investir dans ces entreprises au lieu de diriger leurs investissements dans des boîtes decarboné

Ben Holt 🇨🇦6

Carney wants Canadians to subsidise more Carnage like this. Fork that shirt! Negligence causing death charges are appropriate.

Ken Burnside3

Bill fossil fuel companies for air conditioning and funerals.

Nick Norton2

This climate change-fuelled heat wave has caused 2,700 excess deaths in the UK, and 10,000 excess deaths across Europe, yet Ed Miliband is still being pressured to approve fossil fuel projects in the North Sea. The greed and psychopathy of man is ceaseless. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Guy Shrubsole

@guyshrubsole.bsky.social

Most UK media reports on June heatwave failed to mention climate crisis Analysis by @eciu.net; story by @fionaharvey.bsky.social - www.theguardian.com/environment/...

411h ago

Aurelien Mondon

@aurelmondon.com

Any political project which does not have a radical reform of the media landscape as a linchpin cannot be thought of as a serious response to the resurgence of reactionary politics and the polycrisis www.theguardian.com/environment/...

411h ago

Dr Monique Ryan

@mon4kooyong.bsky.social

This severe and widespread heatwave - the hottest June in Western Europe on record -was worsened by the burning of fossil fuels. When I launched my campaign calling on the government to name heatwaves and save lives in January, it was 44°C in Melbourne.

468h ago

Dr Monique Ryan14

It might be cold in Kooyong now, but the question is: will the government act before we swelter again this summer?

TheGreatWombatso1

Capitalism is the culprit. Capitalists only respect money. The system has no humanity. There will be no change while the world permits capitalism.

Parents For Future #EndFossilFuels 🪧🛢️❌

@parentsforfuture.de

Economists warn that a powerful El Niño, colliding with geopolitical disruptions, could drive a 15.8% surge in global food commodity prices. The message is uncomfortable but unavoidable: modern agriculture was built for a climate that is rapidly disappearing.🌾⚠️ #ClimateCrisis #FoodSecurity #ElNino

3513h ago

Quoting this

Jon Knight4

Maybe time to follow @rupertread.bsky.social advice from a talk he gave us a few weeks ago, and start collecting non perishable, shelf stable foods whilst they're available and the price is lower?

Yung En Chee

@yungenchee.bsky.social

In Climate News Tracker's analysis of June heatwaves in BBC, Sky News, ITV News & Channel 4 News, they found climate change was mentioned in 40 of the 167 articles, but fossil fuels were mentioned as driving this warming in just 5% of the articles‼️ 🤯 👉 climatenewstracker.org/how-news-web...

Screenshot from Climate New's Tracker story

"Climate change and fossil fuels

Climate change was mentioned in 40 of the 167 articles, 24% of the total and fossil fuels were mentioned as driving this warming in 5%.

This sits between the two other platforms in Climate News Tracker's June heatwave series, as 62% of TV and radio programmes and 16% of Instagram and TikTok posts from public service media organisations linked the heatwave to climate change.

Where the climate link was made online, it often came from named scientists rather than reporters themselves."

Horizontal bar chart for the question, 'How often was climate change and fossil fuels linked to the heatwave?'

Grey bar - no climate change mention - 76%
Green bar - mentioned climate change - 19%
Deep green bar - mentioned fossil fuels - 5%

Data source: Climate News Tracker • Analysis of online articles linking climate change and fossil fuels to the June temperature records and heatwave from 20th - 28th of June 2026 of the PSBs (BBC, Sky News, ITV News and Channel 4 News).

324h ago

Yung En Chee10

This was billed as The Big Read in @financialtimes.com & has great graphics Mentions climate change but not the role of fossil fuels contributing to heat waves & 'tropical nights'(👀👆) (weirdly it mentions air-conditioners as increasing "greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change"🤨)

Jacob Aron

@jjaron.bsky.social

This is simply a basic failure of journalism. If you aren't informing people, what is the point? www.theguardian.com/environment/...

361h ago

Andy Brown

@andybrown1951.bsky.social

England and Wales burn up under another exceptional heat wave as evidence mounts that climate chaos is coming sooner and harder than predicted. Media decides the story is "phew what a scorcher" "business as normal" www.theguardian.com/environment/...

281h ago

Doug Parr

@dougparr.bsky.social

2/4 However climate change has barely been referred to in coverage of UK heatwaves that delivered conditions for wildfires 3/4 of UK media coverage of heatwaves didn't mention climate as major contributory factor (which it was as confirmed by Met Office/Imperial) www.theguardian.com/environment/...

241h ago

Alasdair Mackenzie

@alasdairmackenzie.bsky.social

If the media were more upfront about the causes of extreme heat, they might have to start mentioning which of their favourite politicians weren’t doing enough to address them, and which were actively planning to make things worse

242h ago

richiebryan.bsky.social

@richiebryan.bsky.social

Are these unfortunate omissions, or a deliberate strategy to protect the forces that are destroying our ability to exist?

141h ago

Prof Bill McGuire

@profbillmcguire.bsky.social

This is what comes of having most of the press owned by foreign billionaires who have a vested interest in pretending global heating and climate breakdown are not happening www.theguardian.com/environment/...

13Just now

Ed Wilson

@eddwilson.bsky.social

Analysis of nearly 2,500 articles finds almost three-quarters made no reference to global heating #R4Today

142h ago

climatecouncil.org.au

@climatecouncil.org.au

The Murdoch media drawing attention to this vital climate issue: 10,000 excess deaths across Europe during the June heatwave which would have been "virtually impossible" without human-caused climate change. bit.ly/4ybx78i

910h ago

1 source

theguardian.comMost UK media reports on June heatwave failed to mention climate crisis

Most UK heatwave coverage failed to mention climate crisis, analysis findsjournalism

Most UK heatwave coverage failed to mention climate crisis, analysis finds

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