The country has been sweltering this week, with temperatures soaring and thunder spectacularly hitting as if the gods themselves were complaining. In the midst of the oppressive heat, a stark reminder emerged that Britain’s infrastructure is ill-equipped to handle such extremes. Camilla Born, CEO of Electrify Britain and a former advisor to COP26 president Alok Sharma, said: “Britain deserves better infrastructure” during heatwaves.
The thunder that rolled across the nation this week carried echoes of myth and memory. For those who recall the eviscerating heat of 1976, the parallels are uncomfortable. Then, as now, the pressure of heat seemed to demand a response – but this time, the call is for practical action, not just cultural rebellion.
“Camilla Born, CEO of Electrify Britain, says Britain deserves better infrastructure during heatwaves as the country swelters.”
Born’s intervention comes as the UK grapples with the reality of more frequent heatwaves. Electrify Britain, an organisation focused on decarbonisation and grid resilience, argues that the country’s infrastructure – from power lines to public transport and cooling systems – is not robust enough for a warming world. Her comments follow a week where the sun has beaten down relentlessly, testing the limits of what the country can endure.
While mythology sees the sun as a coppery beast or a god to be praised and feared, the modern challenge is one of engineering and policy. Born’s message is clear: Britain must invest in better infrastructure to cope with heatwaves that are no longer rare anomalies but recurring realities.
As the nation continues to sweat under the terrible glare, the question posed by Born and the sweltering streets is whether Britain will learn from this heat or simply wait for the next thunderclap.