UK health secretary links heat waves to climate change as England records driest July

The UK health secretary said on 29 July 2026 that climate change is contributing to increasingly severe heat waves in the UK and globally. Yvette Cooper made the remarks as England and Wales recorded their driest July since records began. Temperatures were forecast to reach 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit) that day, prompting health authorities to issue alerts across much of the country.

Cooper told broadcasters that governments must address both the immediate effects of climate change and the long-term challenge of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. She said the UK should continue working with other countries to accelerate the transition to cleaner energy. The comments came amid renewed debate over the future of fossil fuel production in the UK, including potential expansion of oil and gas drilling in the North Sea.

When asked whether tackling climate change would mean ruling out further drilling, Cooper said the government faced the challenge of balancing energy security, affordability and climate commitments. She did not directly answer whether new drilling would be permitted. Anadolu Ajansı reported that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham is said to support a different approach to fossil fuel production.

What the coverage left out

No left- or centre-rated outlet ran this story at all. None of the reports below mention whether Cooper specified which countries the UK should collaborate with on climate action, or what policies she proposed to accelerate the transition to renewable energy. The cost of such a transition, or any funding commitments, were also not addressed in the Anadolu Ajansı report.