Adapting to a hotter Britain

The Briefing Room

Last week, temperatures in the UK reached a record-breaking 40.3 degrees centigrade. As Britons sweltered in their homes and offices, railway lines buckled, fires broke out in Greater London and the tarmac on Luton Airport runway began to lift. Climate Change scientists now describe this kind of heat as 'the new normal'.

How well is Britain set up to cope with extreme weather events? Do we need to start heat-proofing our houses and infrastructure? And does government need to focus more on adapting to climate change?

Joining David Aaronovitch are:

Mark Maslin, professor of Climatology at University College London

Glenn McGregor, professor of Climatology at Durham University

Richard Dawson, professor of Engineering at Newcastle University and member of the UK's Climate Change Committee

Kathryn Brown, former head of the Adaption at the UK's Climate Change Committee

Producers: Tim Mansel, Kirsteen Knight and Simon Watts. Editor: Penny Murphy. Studio manager: Graham Puddifoot. Production co-ordinator: Helena Warwick-Cross.