Wrexham.com > News
Posted: Mon 14th Jul 2025
A call to “name heatwaves like storms” has been made by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Derek Walker.
“If we keep treating extreme heat like good news for a beach day, we’re putting our heads in the sand when we should be protecting lives” he added.
Derek Walker, whose role is to act as “an independent guardian of those not-yet-born”, under the Well-being of Future Generations Act, said Wales urgently needs long-term, people-led plans for heatwaves and other climate impacts, that protect the most vulnerable, particularly those in poor health and poverty.
Mr Walker’s latest Future Generations Report says climate risk needs to be core to decision-making and public services, like councils and health boards, should work with communities to assess their needs and vulnerabilities to sudden changes or extremes that come with a changing climate, however adds “Public bodies want to act but lack the necessary funding and resources to deliver on their commitments.”
Mr Walker said, “The Future Generations Report 2025 and our long-term vision, Cymru Can, make it clear: Wales needs solutions to heatwaves that work for everyone, not just the few with air con and a garden.
The actual PDF report does not contain the word heatwave or heatwaves, or ‘heat wave’ etc.
He adds, “The growing number of academics’ call for heatwaves to be named like storms could save lives by making the invisible dangers of heat visible and urgent and help people, especially our older population and those with children, to prepare, and this should be
part of our planning.
“Heatwaves are not just weather—they affect our health, economy and environment, and are a matter of justice, with Spanish research showing low-income people are far more likely to die during extreme heat events.
“Working with nature can offer the best solutions to mitigate the impacts of heatwaves, such as preventing wildfire and drought, and increased tree cover around our streets and buildings significantly cools down the places where we live. We must involve people and nature in making climate adaptation a core public service, so action is effective for everyone. It saves money to prepare for climate impacts, and the cost of inaction is far higher.”
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