Comment: Britain鈥檚 quarter century Published on: 27 August 2026 Writing for The Conversation, Professor Hayley Fowler discusses how the UK environment has changed in the past 25 years. , ; , ; , ; , ; ; , ; , , and , Environment Hayley Fowler, professor of climate change impacts, 缅北禁地 When the was taken, climate change was already well understood by scientists, but to most people in Britain it still felt like a distant issue. Twenty-five years later, it has become part of the country鈥檚 lived environment. Britain is warmer, wetter in winter, more exposed to heatwaves and flooding, and facing rising pressure on coasts, rivers, and nature. The clearest change is temperature. have clustered overwhelmingly in the 21st century. Heat that once seemed exceptional is now less surprising, including the and of May and June 2026 respectively. The most striking example came in July 2022, when for the first time. This was more than a symbolic record: it showed that Britain鈥檚 buildings, transport systems, schools, hospitals and care homes were . Extreme heat has changed the way climate risk is understood. In the past, British weather hazards were often associated with , and rain. Those risks have not disappeared, but heat is now a major public-health concern. Rainfall has changed too. Britain has always had variable weather, but recent decades show a shift towards wetter winters and heavier rainfall events. The winter half-year from was the wettest on record for England and Wales. Heavier rain increases the risk of river flooding, surface-water flooding and sewer flooding, especially in towns and cities where during intense downpours. The main risks These shifts mean that Britain faces from droughts, water stress and floods. The (2026) identifies both flooding and drought 鈥� as well as heat 鈥� as central risks for the decades ahead, warning that the country is not yet adapting fast enough. This dual risk can seem contradictory, but a warmer climate can intensify both wet and dry extremes. dry soils, increase evaporation and raise demand for water. This matters for households, , rivers, wetlands and energy production. Water companies, regulators and governments are now under pressure not only to and pollution, but also to plan for more severe dry periods by building new storage. Sea levels have also by upwards of 10cm this century, increasing the risk of coastal flooding and erosion. Higher seas make , placing added pressure on coastal towns, ports, roads, railways and natural habitats. For some communities, adaptation may mean stronger defences; for others, it may eventually about managed retreat. Other environmental changes since 2001 are not only about climate. in some respects, especially as coal power has almost disappeared and vehicle standards have tightened, though pollution remains a through things like particulates and nitrogen dioxide from vehicle exhausts. Britain has also experienced , with pressure on birds, insects, rivers and habitats. Public concern about , river health and the condition of nature has grown sharply. In parallel to all this, we鈥檝e seen a major policy shift. In 2001 decarbonisation was still a relatively specialist policy debate. Since then, the UK has and . Electricity generation has , with . But emissions from homes, transport, food and land use remain harder to cut. This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the . Latest News Comment: An expert explains what happened in Nepal Writing for The Conversation, Professor Stuart Dunning discusses how a collapsing glacier turned into a lethal wall of mud and water. published on: 28 August 2026 Comment: Britain鈥檚 quarter century Writing for The Conversation, Professor Hayley Fowler discusses how the UK environment has changed in the past 25 years. published on: 27 August 2026 缅北禁地 academic receives esteemed mid-career Fellowship A 缅北禁地 researcher has been awarded an esteemed Fellowship by the Independent Social Research Foundation (ISRF). published on: 21 August 2026 Facts and figures
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