London’s risk from rising temperatures

This summer, almost 3,500 of you took part in our London Heat Plan survey. 

London’s climate is changing, with warmer, wetter, winters and hotter, drier, summers. In July and August, we saw four official heatwaves, triggering health alerts and disruption.   

On top of the dry spring, there have been a total of 123 wildfires recorded in London so far this year. 

City Hall is working with stakeholders, experts, and Londoners on a Heat Plan, a key recommendation of the London Climate Resilience Review. This will better prepare London for rising temperatures and extreme heat from climate change.   

In July and August, our survey asked for Londoners’ views to help inform the new plan, including:   

• What helps you cope with heat?
• What would you like to see done to help cool the city during a heatwave? 
• What do you think should be done in London to help keep the city cooler all year round? 

Throughout the summer, many of you shared your views on Talk London. In total: 

Londoners had a lot to say on the issue of extreme heat, with many struggling to cope in very high temperatures. Some even said they’d stayed at home rather than deal with extreme heat outside. 

There was criticism for new buildings and London's public transport system as both were prone to overheating.  Some people stated that they'd either chose not to use transport at or had used another type for this reason. Others took longer routes via lines they thought were more ventilated for comfort.

Thank you so much for taking part. 

Our teams will now use your contributions, alongside all other feedback, to develop the Heat Plan. 

We’ll share a next update when the plan is published in early 2026.