Britain feels the heat

Britain is again seeing record-breaking summer weather. The last week has witnessed temperatures rising to 36.5C (97.3F), the highest ever recorded in July on these shores. While this scorching weather is either a curse or a blessing, depending on whether you have to spend the day commuting on boiling trains or sunning yourself on the beach or in a park, it does raise a few serious points.

The most obvious question being asked is what is causing these freak conditions. The summer of 2003 saw thermometers reaching 38.5C (101.3F) in some parts of the country and now it seems that every summer is resembling more what one would expect from Mediterranean climes rather than rain-soaked Britain. While one could not necessarily use the evidence of just a few years to extrapolate any serious evidence of climate change, it does seem that something is different now. When one adds to this the unusual winter weather patterns seen in Europe recently and the hurricanes which have ravaged North America, it certainly seems that something is going on. While the debate still rages over the existence of global warming and its possible causes, consequences, and solutions, it is time for politicians and scientists to work together to get to the bottom of this and try to come up with some kind of unified plan of action. Getting the likes of the US, Australia, China and India signed up to the Kyoto Treat would certainly be a start.

The second point is more specific to Britain. Why is it that any weather conditions which are even slightly different from normal cause chaos around the country? The current heat wave has seen the tarmac on roads melting, while the lack of air conditioning in London's underground train system causes the carriages to resemble saunas and many overground tracks have been closed because of heat warping the rails. These kinds of problems are mirrored in winter when the smallest flurry of snow in the south west brings roads to a standstill and causes trains services to be grind to a halt. Surely the greatest excuse for trains being cancelled though is when one hears the station announcer declare that services are delayed due to leaves on the track, as if the fact that trees lose their leaves every autumn is a one-off, unexpected event rather than an annual act of nature. The current hot weather, along with unusually warm conditions earlier this year, has also resulted in water shortages in parts of the country, particularly the South West. In a country which is world renowned for its rain it seems ridiculous that a few months of above-average temperatures and slightly lower rainfall can cause these water shortages. Apparently one of the root causes for this is London's ancient water system, much of which dates back to the nineteenth century and, unsurprisingly, has ageing pipes which are now full of leaks. A country like Britain should be expected to have a water system suitable for the twenty-first century and capable of allowing its citizens full access to water whatever the weather conditions.