Extreme weather frequently causes major disruptions in UK transport and energy systems. Heavy snowfall often leads to school closures, roads grinding to a halt, rail services and flights severely disrupted or cancelled and even power cuts. Successive heatwaves cause railway tracks to buckle and overhead lines to sag, resulting in slow or cancelled services and an increased risk of derailment and infrastructure failures.
Likewise, geopolitical conflicts expose vulnerabilities in the global energy supply. The 2026 disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a maritime corridor that is responsible for around 25% of the world’s oil shipments, resulted in surging crude oil prices and fuel shortages. This has driven up the cost of consumer goods and services (including everyday products and airline fares) as transport and shipment costs have risen sharply due to fuel price volatility.
