Projected risks associated with heat stress in the UK Climate Projections (UKCP18)

Kennedy-Asser, Alan T, Owen, Gwilym, Griffith, Gareth J, Andrews, Oliver, Lo, YT Eunice, Mitchell, Dann M, Jenkins, Katie and Warren, Rachel F (2022) Projected risks associated with heat stress in the UK Climate Projections (UKCP18). ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS, 17 (3). 034024-034024.

Access the full-text of this item by clicking on the Open Access link.

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Summer heat extremes in the UK pose a risk to health (amongst other sectors) and this is exacerbated by localised socio-economic factors that contribute to vulnerability. Here, regional climate model simulations from the UK Climate Projections are used to assess how different elements of extreme heat will vary across the UK in the future under global mean surface temperature warming levels of +1.5 °C, +2.0 °C and +3.0 °C above pre-industrial. Heat stress metrics incorporating daily maximum and minimum temperature, temperature variability and vapour pressure are included. These show qualitatively similar spatial patterns for the recent past, with the most pronounced heat hazards found in south-eastern regions of the UK. Projected heat hazard changes across the UK are not homogeneous, with southern regions (e.g. Greater London, South East) showing greater increases in maximum temperatures and northern regions (e.g. Scotland and Northern Ireland) showing greater increases in humidity. With +3.0 °C warming, the relative change in combined heat hazards is found to be greatest in the south-western UK, however, in absolute terms, south-eastern regions will still experience the greatest hazards. When combined with socio-economic factors, hotspots of high heat stress risk emerge in parts of London, the Midlands and eastern England along with southern and eastern coastal regions. Weighting of different heat risk factors is subjective and to this end we have developed and made available an interactive app which allows users to assess sensitivities and uncertainties in the projected UK heat risk.</jats:p>

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	UK, climate, heat, risk, UKCP18, app
Divisions:	Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Faculty of Health and Life Sciences > Institute of Population Health
Depositing User:	Symplectic Admin
Date Deposited:	07 Jun 2022 11:14
Last Modified:	18 Jan 2023 21:00
DOI:	10.1088/1748-9326/ac541a
Open Access URL:	https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ac541a
Related URLs:	Author Publisher
URI:	https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3156002