May 2026 – Week 4
In this week’s live blog, we are taking a broader look across climate and energy, covering the key news, developments and comments.
As part of an expanded focus on real-time coverage, this live blog will continue to track developments across global energy markets, including electricity prices, oil and gas benchmarks, and renewable generation trends. But we will also track key climate news and events, including impacts such as extreme weather events as they happen.
It is updated every day throughout the week with the most significant developments around energy and climate.
Last week’s live blog can be found here.
Key developments we are tracking this week:
- The unprecedented heatwave and temperature records engulfing Europe
- How the Middle East crisis drives volatility across oil, gas and electricity markets
- Policy shifts driven by the energy crisis
Latest
Tuesday 26th of May 2026
16:20 GMT
Temperature records: For the second day in a row, the UK has broken it’s all time May temperature record, with Heathrow in west London recording 35 degrees C, beating yesterday’s 34.8 degrees C recorded in Kew Gardens, west London.
14:55 GMT
Heatwave: It is predicted that France is to record its first major early heatwave:
12:10 GMT
Oil price: After having declined for several days, the oil futures have risen this morning in Early trading on the Asian and European markets, responding to further doubts about a US-Iran peace deal, as there were US military strikes on southern Iranian targets this morning
Earlier updates
11:40 GMT
Temperature records: Our story and the context for the UK temperature record and heatwave can be read below:
11:05 GMT
Extreme heat: Authorities in France have said that at least seven people have died dut heatwave linked incidents.
Monday 25th of May 2026
22:20 GMT
Extreme heat: Meanwhile, if Europeans think they have it bad, it is nothing compared to the conditions in India. The country is currently battling a record-shattering heatwave with catastrophic consequences as an atmospheric heat domes is is trapping sizzling air across northern, central, and western regions. Temperatures have consistently surpassed 45°C, with peak areas hitting between 46°C and 48.2°C, causing severe public health emergencies, acute wildlife distress, and power grid failures.
22:10 GMT
Heatwave: The new UK record comes as a large part of the European continent is suffering from extreme heat, with a series of new temperature records expected.
22:00 GMT
Temperature records: The UK has officially set a new all-time high temperature record for May, beating the previous record of 32.8 degrees C set in 1944, convincingly by recording 34.8 degrees C in west London.
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Categories: climate change, Energy, heat wave, live updates, Weather
