THE recent heatwaves seen across much of the UK in recent weeks are a "public health emergency in the making" that Scotland "cannot afford to ignore", it has been warned.
The Scottish Greens have called for heat resilience to become a national public health priority, as parts of the UK continue to deal with extreme temperatures.
It comes as experts have estimated that more than 2700 people died from heat-related causes in England and Wales in the last two months alone.
Researchers from Imperial College London, the Met Office and the London School of Hygiene found that climate change significantly drove up the death toll, as more than two fifths (42%) died as a result of the extra heat caused by human activity – mostly burning fossil fuels.
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The report does not include data from Scotland, but the Greens have warned that Scotland is not immune from the risks extreme heat brings, particularly as climate change means that such weather will only become more common.
The party's health spokesperson, Kayleigh Kinross-O'Neill said: “These figures represent a devastating loss of life. Behind every statistic is a family left grieving, and many of these deaths could have been prevented.
“It is a public health emergency in the making. Extreme weather events will only become more common, and our health and social care services need to be ready."
Kinross-O'Neill said this means "creating greener towns and cities, expanding tree cover, designing homes and work places that stay cool in summer as well as warm in winter, and ensuring our NHS and social care services are equipped to respond to longer, hotter summers".
She added: “The people most at risk are older people, disabled people, those with long-term health conditions and outdoor workers, who often have little choice but to work in dangerous temperatures. Protecting them must be a national priority.
“Climate action is not just about protecting the environment, it is about protecting people and public health.”
