Heat, Health and Harrogate

By Paul Johnstone  

During the third heatwave this summer in July, it struck me that our ancestors in the Harrogate and North Yorkshire area have never experienced these levels of heat before, probably for thousands of years. For eight days in July somewhere in the UK, temperatures reached 34°C or higher, breaking the record set in that iconic summer of 1976. But 1976 was a one-off; now we are experiencing year-on-year record heat with five of the last six years being the hottest years ever.  This is because the world’s average temperature has risen by 1°C and heatwaves peaked to 3°C higher than before. And unlike 1976, heatwaves now are more dangerous and impactful to our health.

Scientists at the Met Office, Imperial College, and the London School of Health and Tropical Medicine estimate that 2,700 people died in the May and June heatwaves, and there will be more likely by the end of the summer. They say that nearly half of those deaths are attributable to climate change because of human activity, such as burning fossil fuels.

Why do so many people die? Heatstroke is one of the main causes of mortality and ill health during a heatwave. It occurs when the body fails to regulate temperature, causing our core temperature to rise often above 40°C. This leads to confusion, seizures, and loss of consciousness, which is life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. It’s common in babies and older people whose ability to regulate their temperature is limited. Treatment is by cooling urgently, with fans, aircon, removing excess clothing, and applying ice packs. Prevention is better than cure, and this is best done by avoiding going outside in the middle of the day, using fans and aircon, closing bedroom windows and curtains during the day to keep in cooler air. Care homes for the elderly are particularly aware of the dangers for their residents, and businesses should provide cool spots for employees. See UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) website for more info.

These measures prevent heatstroke, but the best thing to do is to prevent the world from warming and reduce the likelihood of weather extremes in the first place!

With increases in greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels, climate scientists are estimating heatwaves will regularly exceed 45°C in 20 to 30 years’ time.  This will be uncharted territory for us and our health, as described in the People’s Emergency Briefing talks, reports and 50-minute film, recently compiled by scientists.  In addition to heatstroke, other threats will be from wildfires, floods, tropical diseases like malaria and, more seriously, crop failures and disrupted food chain supplies globally.  For a country that imports half our food, this will be a serious turn of events.

Having said this, there is good news as the worst of global warming can be prevented. We at ZCH have been working with the local council, businesses and schools to support action to reduce fossil fuel use. Our local Harrogate Hospital has made tremendous gains too, having reduced its carbon footprint by 50% since 1990. So, whilst the threats are very real for the near future, there is room for optimism for future generations in our area, if we act now.

Note about the author:

Paul Johnstone is a retired health professional who now lives in North Yorkshire with his family. Paul’s career started in paediatrics and general practice, before working and volunteering in Montserrat, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Sudan. His public health career spanned working as a national director for the UK government, as a regional director for the North of England and Yorkshire for the NHS and Public Health England, and as a district director of public health in Teeside. 

Now retired, as well as volunteering for Zero Carbon Harrogate, Paul currently chairs the UK Faculty of Public Health Climate and Health Committee and supports VSO (Voluntary Services Overseas) as a health advisor.