Revealed: Three-quarters of prisons in England and Wales face ‘high risk’ of overheating
More than three-quarters of prisons in England and Wales face a “high risk” of overheating during summer months over the next 15 years, according to government figures.
A freedom of information (FOI) request submitted by Carbon Brief reveals the internal assessments conducted by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to help prepare its facilities for rising temperatures due to human-caused climate change.
As well as overheating in summer, more than a third of the 124 prisons and young offenders institutions assessed face a high risk of flooding due to increased winter rainfall. This is based on a scenario in which global emissions fall faster in the next two decades than they are expected to under existing climate policies.
Prisoners have been identified in the UK and elsewhere as being particularly vulnerable to climate hazards. Unsuitable prison infrastructure and a general lack of resources mean they can be left facing uncomfortable and even dangerous conditions.
The analysis of 1,128 prisons, probation facilities, courts and offices managed by the MoJ across England and Wales is part of the climate adaptation strategy set out by the previous Conservative government.
The figures emerge amid reports that UK prisons are nearing full capacity and in poor condition after years of neglect. Experts tell Carbon Brief that preparing the nation’s aged, overcrowded prison estate for climate change will be a major challenge for the new Labour government.