General · 21 September 2026
Why drought damage could last years for wildlife
No Swan So Fine via Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-4.0)
Consecutive heatwaves and record low rainfall forced parts of England and Wales into severe summer droughts, pushing water demand up by 30%. Tony Grayling, chair of the National Drought Group, warned that ecosystems and wildlife will suffer long-lasting consequences. Natural England reported that 349 environmental incidents occurred this year, surpassing the total from 2025.
Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs