Wednesday briefing: How can the UK protect its landscape in an increasingly hot world?

Our green and pleasant land is sizzling. This week, millions of us across the UK are baking in unprecedented heat. The Met Office has issued a rare red weather warning from 9am today in parts of southern Wales, and central and southern England. The temperature record for June of 35.6C is almost certain to be broken; Bristol is forecast to hit an alarming 39C tomorrow. In the heat, the country’s infrastructure is straining: millions of homes are overheating, rail operators have warned against all but essential travel, and hospital admissions are set to surge. The Climate Change Committee concluded last month the UK is built for a climate that no longer exists – and warned today on the country’s policies towards achieving net zero. But it is not just humans who are struggling. The UK’s landscapes and wildlife have been shaped by – and have adapted to – thousands of years of predictable, moderate weather patterns. Now, Britain’s temperate rainforests, chalk streams, moorlands and broadleaf forests are facing extremes. For today’s First Edition, I spoke with Craig Bennett , CEO of the Wildlife Trusts, about the pressure rising temperatures are placing on nature in the UK, and what we can all be doing to support wildlife during the heatwave. But first, the headlines. Five big stories UK news | Searing heat has swept the UK with schools, hospitals, transport networks and water companies struggling to cope with the extreme temperatures caused by climate breakdown. …