From grey water to cool spaces: 10 climate crisis policies Britain needs right now
Top line
Experts outline 10 urgent climate policies for the UK, ranging from halting fossil fuel expansion and nationalising water to implementing workplace heat protections and boosting agricultural resilience.
Summary
Amid a severe summer of extreme weather in 2026, experts have outlined 10 urgent climate policies for the UK government. The proposed measures include rejecting new North Sea oil and gas licences, increasing windfall taxes on energy giants to fund adaptation, mandating grey water reuse, and bringing the privatized water industry under national control. Additional recommendations focus on equipping firefighters, implementing maximum workplace temperatures, funding community cool spaces, launching a council-led national retrofitting program, protecting urban trees, and promoting regenerative agriculture to ensure long-term resilience and food security.
Highlights
- The UK experienced extreme weather conditions in the summer of 2026, emphasizing the urgent necessity for robust climate policies.
- Experts recommend rejecting new oil and gas drilling licences for projects like Jackdaw and Rosebank to accelerate the green economy.
- Increasing windfall taxes on major fossil fuel corporations could generate significant revenue to fund emergency climate adaptation.
- Mandating grey water reuse and rainwater harvesting in new constructions can combat a projected daily shortfall of 5 billion litres of water by 2055.
- Nationalising the privatised water industry would eliminate short-term profit motives and prioritize long-term infrastructure investment and pollution prevention.
- British fire services urgently require dedicated equipment, such as water-bombing planes, to effectively tackle severe wildfires.
- Implementing strict maximum workplace temperature limits (ranging from 24C to 30C) would protect workers during severe heatwaves.
- Establishing free, well-ventilated cool spaces in every community is essential for protecting vulnerable populations during extreme heat events.
- A council-led national retrofit programme can enhance energy efficiency in homes, lower bills, and stimulate local green growth.
- Conserving existing mature trees and expanding urban tree canopies provides a critical net cooling effect against urban heat islands.
- Encouraging regenerative agriculture can increase soil moisture by 23%, boosting drought resilience and national food security.
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