Climate change missing from most UK media reports on June heatwave

The reality of climate change went unmentioned in most UK media reports on the June 2026 heatwave. An analysis of 2,500 articles on the soaring temperatures showed that three-quarters of press reports made no mention of the critical issue.

Professor Ed Hawkins, a climate scientist from the University of Reading, warned:

When extreme heatwaves occur, it is critical that the British public are made aware in the media they consume that greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from burning fossil fuels, have made those heatwaves hotter than they would otherwise have been.

The heatwave was the second of 2026 and topped 37°C, and an estimated 2,700 people are reported to have died from heat-related illnesses a result of the May and June heatwaves.

Extreme heat and climate change

Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) thinktank international lead Gareth Redmond-King said:

The link between all three recent periods of extreme heat and climate change is indisputable.

Adding:

If recent heatwaves are the symptom, then climate change is the illness, and net zero is the medicine. When public understanding of this link is so low, it’s vital that the dots are joined between these three concepts to help make us all better.

The Guardian reported:

The FT scored highest on relating extreme heat stories to the climate, with nearly two thirds making the link – that is, 50 out of its 78 stories over the period.

The Guardian came next, with roughly half of its heat-related stories drawing the link to the climate crisis – 64 out of 131 articles.

The Independent newspaper did better with: It has published:

783 heatwave stories over the period, of which 304 – roughly 39% – mentioned the climate.

And, according to the Guardian:

About a fifth of the Mail’s more than 300 heatwave stories referred to global heating, and about one in eight of the 400-plus stories in the Express.

In a rapidly heating world, the legacy media seem to be failing the public. This is no surprise, given the dying mainstream press, whether conservative or liberal, is deeply tied to corporate interests. The Canary will continue to make the links so many outlets skip over.

Featured image via Mammuth / Unsplash