Heatwave: Counting the Cost of Extreme Heat on Lives & Livelihoods

Session Details

This will be a virtual session, held on Zoom. A recording will be provided subsequently to the full News Antennas community.

Live briefing on Zoom

Date: Tuesday, October 20th, 2026
Time: 9am Colombia / 11am Brazil / 3pm UK / 4pm Central Europe
Format: A moderated session including three expert speakers
Join instructions: Zoom

Session Synopsis

The brutal 2026 heatwave season has already claimed nearly 10,000 lives across Europe, with almost every EU country, as well as the UK, experiencing record temperatures. This is not an anomaly. Science tells us that more frequent and intense heat will be part of the decades ahead.

The economic and social costs are already becoming visible: falling agricultural output, reduced labour productivity, pressure on health services, and disruptions to transport, trade and other essential systems. Heat-related risks are also creating growing pressures for insurance markets.

This session will explore the real cost of extreme heat — and the stories that need to be told. We will consider what policy and market levers can help governments, businesses and communities adapt to a hotter world, and what action is needed to build more resilient economies and societies.

About News Antennas

Launched by Bellwethers in 2025, News Antennas is a growing global community of influential independent news creators, ushering in a new era of reporting with integrity on nature, climate and the green economy. The community is invited to take part in exclusive briefings on crucial topics with the potential to broaden interest in nature and climate issues and which they can then cover for their own extensive news audiences.

Today the News Antennas community covers 13 countries in Europe, UK and Latin America with 36 independent reporters operating across YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and more, reaching a combined audience exceeding 30 million.