Research and analysis

Social impacts of heatwaves

Explores the health and social impacts of heat waves, the vulnerability of social groups and ways society could improve its response to extreme heat.

Documents

Social impacts of heatwaves

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Social impacts of heatwaves

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Details

The report recommends the following areas for research in the UK:

  • explore the relationship between heat waves and social behaviour;
  • evaluate the knock-on effects of failures in infrastructure, in particular, the consequences of a power cut leading to failure in transport and water systems;
  • assess the interaction of extreme heat with other hazards such as air quality and in particular, water security for UK cities;
  • explore the social processes leading to isolation and lack of information amongst vulnerable groups;
  • examine possible strategies for social adaptation, in particular alternatives to private air conditioning such as greening of city space and the provision of public cooling centres;
  • explore and assess the effectiveness of early warning systems.

Updates to this page

Published 1 August 1999

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