Our world is feeling the heat

The climate crisis isn’t a future threat – it's already devastating people and nature in the UK and around the world, with the vulnerable suffering most. 

• Our world has warmed by approximately 1.1°C since 1970 – and around 1.4°C since the 1850s.^[1]
• 2025 was the UK’s hottest year on record. And 2026 is on track to be even hotter.^[2]  
• As the planet gets warmer we head towards Tipping point. A tipping point is a threshold beyond which a system changes fundamentally, with serious consequences for people and nature. The impacts are often abrupt and irreversible.  
• Some tipping points are already being approached, for example warm-water coral reefs are already crossing thermal tipping points and we are seeing unprecedented dieback of these precious ecosystems. 
• At 2°C of global warming, heat extremes would more often reach tipping points for long-term damage to nature, agriculture and human health.

Thankfully, there is hope. If we act now we can limit the impacts of climate change, stop the destruction of nature, and secure a safer climate, and bring our world back to life.  

The UK Government promised – and put into law – that we would reach net zero by 2050. This means that we would reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to as close to zero as possible, then balance out any remaining ones by removing an equal amount from the atmosphere. This is crucial if we are to ensure a more stable climate and a safer future for people, for nature and for the economy. These changes can benefit households, cutting bills, creating jobs, and protecting green spaces.  

While the UK has made good progress on cutting emissions, there is more to be done. Rapid action and consistent commitment are needed, particularly in transport, buildings and agriculture, if the UK is to stay the course.  

Climate change is a key factor in the extreme weather that we are seeing here and abroad. For example, scientists assess that the temperatures we saw in the June 2026 heatwave would have been ‘virtually impossible’ without human induced climate change.^[7] Without urgent action these climate extremes will get even worse. That’s why we want to see our leaders taking urgent action to stop the emissions that are causing climate change and also urgent investment in climate change adaptation. 

Nature is an important ally in cutting emissions and protecting us from climate change impacts. That means investing in solutions that deliver both, from clean, resilient energy infrastructure to nature-based solutions like wetlands.