As of writing, May 2026 is the hottest May ever recorded in the UK [1]—undoubtedly a result of anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change [2].
I am faced with an interesting parallel. I was born in May 2003, just before what was at the time one of the hottest summers in Europe, which sadly caused somewhere in the region of 70,000 deaths [3]. As of now, temperatures have exceeded any previous May maximum by around 2 degrees. Admittedly, it is the perfect storm for a great bank holiday, but I cannot escape the nagging realization that these temperatures are a clear—and sharper than usual—reminder that not only is the climate continuing to change, but that it has already changed.
The worst irony, in my mind, is that those with immense power and wealth will mostly be able to insulate themselves from climate change. It is a tragic oxymoron given it is their exploitation of the planet’s resources that has led to both their wealth and our current predicament.
One of the most infuriating things about arguing with those who somehow do not believe in climate change is the cognitive dissonance. You find yourself questioning your own ability to understand reality when faced with it. It is exhausting trying to reason with them that yes, while not all science agrees on exact details and timelines, all reasonable science does agree that the problem is here, and it is severe.
The Ticking Time Bomb
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (sometimes referred to as “the Gulf Stream,” though that is a slightly different precursor phenomenon) is the “ticking time bomb” that is likely to slow down as a result of climate change, bringing cooler temperatures to Western Europe, especially the UK.
And this is why we cannot have simplistic conversations about climate change. It is why, in essence, we must always confront climate change denial—even if people use verbal tricks to seem as if they believe in it (see any climate-skeptic politician).
Yes, a paradoxical result of climate change may be that we get a cooler Europe, but it goes without saying that the world is a complete, complex system. A colder Europe does not mitigate a less breathable atmosphere, nor does it offset rising sea levels. Worst of all, it would not just be a “cooler Europe” stopping our warm bank holidays. It would mean the complete collapse of our agricultural sector [4]—arable land would fall from 32% of the country to just 7%. Need I say more?
Hope
I realize that this blog post is undoubtedly cynical and far from hopeful, something I, as an eternal optimist, must rectify.
Firstly, I am privileged. I am grateful I could spend a sunny weekend with my friends, and that even in the heat I have been relatively comfortable. Moreover, I know that most of us know. Regardless of who we are and what we do, we all carry with us a sound judgment about doing the right thing.
I do not believe in individual action alone, but individuals acting together can achieve great things. Perhaps the most hopeful news of recent is that it seems global emissions may finally be turning the right way [5] (see Dr. Simon Clark’s 2026 predictions video). If true, then maybe 2026 will be a tipping point. It is well after it should have been, but maybe in 20 years we will look back on 2026 as the year we corrected our trajectory. Hopefully, a weekend like this will make even those with their heads in the sand begin to fall back to reality.
I hope that just as the problem of climate change is exponential, the solution is as well. Maybe we are currently at Net Zero1, but once a critical mass has been reached, we will have Net Zero2. Like many mass movements and human revolutions, swift, dramatic action will right our course.
Hope everyone had a nice bank holiday weekend,
— Pip