Britain’s searing summers are no longer a freak event—they’re the new normal.
The UK hit 40°C for the first time in July 2022 – and the Met Office warns we could see similar temperatures regularly within a decade.
We are now three months into a prolonged warm spring and summer and this change is affecting the markets.
Investors are waking up to what this means: the climate crisis isn’t just a future threat—it’s a present-day investment risk and opportunity, according to website AInvest.
Infrastructure across the country is creaking. Rail delays due to heat soared in 2024, transformers built for cooler days are overheating and 80% of homes are vulnerable during heatwaves.
Healthcare is under pressure too, with projections of 10,000 heat-related deaths annually by 2050.
To respond, the government has pledged £1.7 billion to Great British Energy for clean tech supply chains and is funnelling over £13 billion into a national retrofit drive.
But the Climate Change Committee says it’s not enough—adaptation is fragmented and private investment is vital.
That’s where opportunity knocks.
Offshore wind giants like SSE and Ørsted are poised to expand, hydrogen tech is gaining pace, and firms specialising in retrofitting—like EcoHome Solutions—are set for rapid growth.
National Grid and ScottishPower are also upgrading systems to handle soaring energy demand from cooling and EVs.
Cooling tech, smarter building materials and climate health solutions are gaining traction too, with companies like Daikin and Johnson Controls leading the charge.
The bottom line? The cost of doing nothing could slash UK GDP by 7% by 2050. But backing climate resilience now—from wind farms to heat pumps—offers long-term gains and protection against rising temperatures.
For investors, it appears there is no longer a choice between green and growth… it’s the next hot topic.
