**Calls Grow for Heatwaves to Be Named Like Storms Amid Escalating Health Risks**
As the mercury climbs this week and Wales experiences another spell of sweltering temperatures, many are questioning whether enough is being done to prepare for the increasingly severe heatwaves associated with climate change. Traditionally greeted with excitement and celebrations of sunshine, these periods of intense heat are provoking urgent reassessment among public health experts and policymakers.
Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and severe, with global studies indicating that extreme heat now claims more lives annually than floods, earthquakes, and hurricanes put together. Recent estimates from Swiss Re suggest that half a million people worldwide die from heat-related causes every year. Despite such alarming statistics, the broader public in Wales and across the UK may not yet appreciate the scale of the threat.
At present, British weather events such as storms receive names—like Storm Babet—prompting immediate media attention and preparation by both the public and emergency services. In contrast, heatwaves often escape this level of serious treatment, even though they can lead to surges in hospital admissions and fatalities, particularly among older adults, young children, and those from deprived backgrounds.
Academic and public health communities are now advocating for a change in how heatwaves are communicated. The proposal to assign names to heatwaves, mirroring the approach to storms, is gaining traction. Supporters argue that such a system would alert the public to the dangers of extreme heat and encourage more proactive safety measures. Naming a heatwave—imagine “Heatwave Idris”—could galvanise communities to check on vulnerable neighbours and heed official advice, reframing the phenomenon as an acute threat rather than simply an opportunity for leisure.
This call for enhanced awareness also highlights wider issues surrounding readiness for climate-related emergencies. Wales’ Well-being of Future Generations Act establishes a framework intended to protect both current and forthcoming generations from such risks. However, as noted in the recently published Future Generations Report 2025, the pace of action remains slow, with only a minority of Welsh Public Services Boards having fully assessed their vulnerability to climate extremes.
There are encouraging signs of progress in some Welsh regions. Cwm Taf Morgannwg and Pembrokeshire, for instance, have undertaken comprehensive climate risk assessments involving local communities, emergency planners, and health practitioners. This collaboration aims to anticipate the impact of not only heatwaves, but also droughts and flooding, on infrastructure, public health, and social care provision.
However, research both in Wales and abroad demonstrates that the health and social impacts of extreme heat are distributed unequally. Cities such as Madrid report that poorer communities suffer disproportionately, often due to substandard housing, lack of access to parks or green spaces, and chronic health conditions exacerbated by high temperatures. These inequalities make the case for targeted action and inclusive planning stronger than ever.
Nature-based climate adaptation is being increasingly championed as part of the solution. Urban tree planting schemes, such as the ambitious effort in Newport to expand tree coverage to a quarter of the area within a decade, offer benefits ranging from lower urban temperatures to improved air quality. Internationally, cities like Medellín in Colombia have shown that greening urban areas can reduce average temperatures by 2°C, and more cities are following suit.
The National Infrastructure Commission for Wales has described climate change as a national security issue and urges that nature be regarded as a key stakeholder in all major building projects. The Commission’s recommendations include halting construction in flood-prone zones and establishing a dedicated adaptation fund to bolster resilience to climate-event impacts.
Yet significant challenges remain, particularly in ensuring that adaptation measures engage and benefit those most at risk—older adults, disabled people, carers, and residents of low-income households. Without comprehensive, inclusive planning and urgent action, the cost of inaction is expected to increase, threatening not only health outcomes but also public services and the economy.
Ultimately, if naming storms has contributed to saving lives, proponents believe there is every reason to believe that extending this practice to heatwaves could have a similar effect. The climate emergency is no longer a distant threat—its effects are visible and urgent now. Adapting public awareness strategies, infrastructure and resource planning, and social support systems to meet this reality will be critical as Wales and the UK grapple with a warming world.