I agree with George Monbiot that newspaper articles dismissing concern about today’s increasingly hot weather with fond memories of the 1976 heatwave are unhelpful (When the right denies the true danger of heatwaves, ask yourself this: whose children’s lives is it willing to risk?, 1 July). While many rightwing writers remember “just getting on with things and enjoying the sun” during their childhood, what they neglect to mention is that data shows up to 26,364 deaths were recorded between 23 June and 8 July 1976 – 3,676 more than the previous five‑year average for the same dates.
The way that deaths increase during heatwaves, as we have seen repeatedly during the 21st century, is no coincidence. Temperature extremes exacerbate chronic conditions, including cardiovascular, respiratory and cerebrovascular diseases, mental health and diabetes-related conditions. The heat is a particular danger not just to children but also to elderly people, especially those living alone, and is an additional burden on pregnant women too.
