A study by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit examined coverage of June’s heatwave across nine major UK national newspapers and found significant gaps in climate-related reporting. The research tracked nearly 2,500 articles published from June 22 to June 28, when temperatures exceeded 37C—a record for the time of year. The analysis revealed that approximately 72% of heatwave coverage failed to mention climate change or global heating. Additionally, fewer than 5% of the articles drew connections to government net-zero policies.
The heatwave was the second extreme heat event in recent months, following a May heat spell when temperatures reached 35C. A third heatwave occurred later in the month and continued into the following week. Research from Imperial College London published on Monday found that approximately 2,700 people died from overheating in May and June, with roughly 1,100 of those deaths attributed to additional warming from climate change.
According to scientists and attribution studies, human activities—particularly fossil fuel combustion and agricultural intensification—have intensified the extreme weather. Climate science experts emphasized the importance of media coverage in helping the public understand these connections. The Financial Times performed best in linking extreme heat to climate issues, with roughly two-thirds of its 78 heatwave stories making the connection. The Guardian followed with approximately half of its 131 articles mentioning climate change. In contrast, the Sun published the lowest proportion of climate-related coverage, with only 6% of its 69 heatwave stories including a climate angle.
Other outlets showed varying levels of engagement with the climate angle. The Independent, which published the most articles overall at 783, included climate references in approximately 39% of stories. The Mail mentioned global heating in roughly one-fifth of its coverage, while the Express included climate context in about one in eight articles. The Mirror had over 300 heatwave stories but referenced climate in only 9% of them. When online blogposts and minor story updates were excluded from analysis, the overall proportions remained largely consistent across outlets, with the Independent dropping to approximately 34%.