London is “cooking”, the United Nations chief has warned, as the capital swelters in a severe heatwave that has also prompted the RSPCA to issue a “deadly” towel warning to dog owners.
Speaking at London Climate Action Week on Tuesday, UN secretary general Antonio Guterres referenced Charles Dickens’ novel A Tale Of Two Cities, saying: “Crisis brings clarity and here in London – the city of Dickens – it is clear that our world is facing a 'tale of two crises'.” He warned that a climate crisis is pushing the world “closer to catastrophic tipping points” and an energy crisis exposing “the folly of a world hooked on hydrocarbons”.
“UN chief says London is 'cooking' as heatwave hits; RSPCA warns damp towels can kill dogs”
“London isn't just calling. It's cooking,” Guterres said, as the UK endures an unprecedented heatwave. The Met Office has issued a red extreme heat warning for Wednesday and Thursday, with highs of 37C forecast for southern England and 35C in southeast Wales today (June 23). Temperatures are expected to climb to at least 39C on Wednesday and Thursday, with a chance of being exceeded in places, before easing to 32C on Friday.
While Guterres warned that climate chaos is “accelerating before our eyes” and the arrival of El Niño this summer risks “blowing the house down”, the RSPCA urged dog owners not to use damp towels to cool their pets. The charity said placing damp towels directly over a dog’s body can “trap heat” and worsen their condition, potentially leading to fatal heatstroke.
“When a dog gets too hot and can’t lower its temperature by panting, it can develop heatstroke,” the RSPCA said on its website. “This can be fatal, so you need to act fast to reduce their body temperature first, then get help.” Instead, they advised placing wet or damp towels beneath the dog, re-wetting frequently, and cooling the animal first before taking them to a vet in a well-ventilated vehicle.
The UK Health Security Agency has also issued heat health alerts highlighting potential health and social care impacts. Guterres called for a “fast, fair transition to clean energy” and announced an AI environmental transparency initiative, urging tech firms to share carbon and water footprint data and power data centres with renewable energy.