The average rainfall for the first two weeks of July in England was 6mm, while only 15mm fell throughout all of June, according to the UK’s Environment Agency. To give some idea of how low this is, the definition of a desert is a place with an average rainfall of 21mm per month.

Disasters have a disproportionate impact on people with disabilities, who are at higher risk of death, injury and loss of property. Although the rights and needs of people with disabilities in disasters are increasingly being addressed through policies, standards and guidelines, much more needs to be done to remove the barriers to their inclusion in disaster risk reduction (DRR) and response.

Homes built haphazardly among the pines, no evacuation plan, poorly organised emergency services hit hard by austerity: the deadly wildfires around Athens this week may have shocked Greece but few environment experts are surprised.