Heat resilience and sustainable cooling

Environmental Audit Committee Closed Inquiry
Opened: 3 Jul 2023 Closed: 22 May 2024 Parliament page
The Environmental Audit Committee is undertaking a short inquiry into Heat resilience and sustainable cooling . It will look at the relationship between heat and health; examine the adequacy of current Government policies in relation to current and future need for cooling; and consider what measures could be taken to … Read more
19 Recommendations
3 Conclusions
1 Report
2 Oral sessions
1 Letter
2 Events
Activity timeline 7 events
22 May
2024
Correspondence
30 Apr
2024
Report published
31 Jan
2024
Report published
25 Oct
2023
Oral evidence
25 Oct
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 6, Palace of Westminster
18 Sep
2023
Oral evidence
18 Sep
2023
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · Room 5, Palace of Westminster
Oral evidence sessions 2 sessions
25 Oct 2023
View on parliament.uk
panel one; panel two
Adrian Dobson · Royal Institute of British Architects Councillor Linda Taylor · Local Government Association Eleni Myrivili · UN Habitat Francis Heil · AtkinsRéalis Omar Abdelaziz · The American University in Cairo Professor Elizabeth Robinson · Grantham Research Institute, London School of Economics
18 Sep 2023
View on parliament.uk
panel one; panel two
David Broom · Kensa Contracting Dr Chiara Delmastro · International Energy Agency (IEA) Dr Eric Laurentius Peterson · University of Leeds Dr Laurence Wainwright · The Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, University of Oxford Martin Passingham · Daikin UK Professor Jason Lowe OBE · Met Office Hadley Centre Professor Lea Berrang Ford · UK Health Security Agency
Title HC No. Published Items Response
Fifth Report - Heat resilience and sustainable cooling HC 279 31 Jan 2024 22 Responded
Recommendations & Conclusions
4 results
Clear
3 Recommendation Rejected
Fifth Report - Heat resilience and…
Nature-based solutions are crucial for cooling, but the green infrastructure framework lacks wide implementation.
Nature-based solutions to climate change, such as parks, trees, water bodies and green infrastructure, have significant cooling effects as well as multiple co-benefits (for example, for health, wellbeing, air quality, flood resilience and biodiversity). Increasing the amount of green space … Read more
Government Response
The government acknowledges the benefits of green infrastructure but states that primary responsibility for expanding urban green space lies with local authorities and declines to mandate the Green Infrastructure Framework. It references existing funds but rejects central intervention or mandating action.
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7 Recommendation Rejected
Fifth Report - Heat resilience and…
Mandate post-occupancy evaluation for all measures taken under Building Regulations Part O.
We recommend that measures taken under Part O should be subject to post-occupancy evaluation within the first year of their installation.
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation for post-occupancy evaluation under Part O, stating there are no current plans for its inclusion. However, they are seeking feedback through a call for evidence on potential omissions or issues, which may inform future updates.
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14 Recommendation Rejected
Fifth Report - Heat resilience and…
Launch a Minister-led public information campaign on heatwave threats and human health impacts.
While sources of accurate, reliable and helpful guidance on dealing with extreme heat do exist, this information does not appear always to be reaching everyone who needs it, leading to avoidable health harms. We raised this issue in our 2018 … Read more
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation to launch a new Minister-led public information campaign, arguing that general campaigns may be less effective. Instead, they highlighted ongoing significant progress in publishing guidance and coordinating existing messaging with partners, focusing on vulnerable groups and tailored communications.
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21 Recommendation Rejected
Fifth Report - Heat resilience and…
Appoint a lead Minister for Heat Resilience to drive coordinated cross-government action effectively.
We recommend that the Government appoint a lead Minister for Heat Resilience to act as a focal point and drive forward coordinated action across government departments, local government, community sector stakeholders and the private sector in this area. (Paragraph 100) … Read more
Government Response
The government rejected the recommendation to appoint a lead Minister for Heat Resilience, stating that existing Lead Government Department structures and Defra's Minister for Nature already provide the necessary coordination and oversight for climate adaptation.
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Government Response AI assessment · 22 of 19 classified
Accepted 7
Accepted in Part 1
Acknowledged 1
Deferred 9
Rejected 4
Total 19 recs + 3 conclusions
Correspondence 1 letter
22 May 2024 To committee Letter from the EAC Chair to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, relating to the 'Heat resilience and sustainable cooling' inquiry, dated 21 May 2024
Parliament page