Environment

Poor housing harms health of 20% of renters in England, says Shelter

Poor housing is harming the health of one in five renters in England, with mould, damp and cold the main triggers of sickness, a major survey by the housing charity Shelter has revealed.

Approximately 1.9m households could be suffering physical and mental problems as a result of poor housing conditions as well as uncertainty caused by struggles to pay the rent and repeated evictions, polling of over 3,000 private renters suggests.

A quarter of all renters said they were affected by damp and mould and by being unable to heat their homes. They were three times more likely to say housing was harming their health than those without the problems.

The study also detailed how almost one in four renters said their housing situation had left them feeling “stressed and anxious” since the start of the pandemic.

The findings came as councils warned that waiting lists for affordable housing are set to double next year to as many as 2.1m households. One in 10 of those in the queue have already been waiting for over five years. The Covid pandemic has dented housebuilding with at least 100,000 fewer homes built by 2023, according to the Local Government Association which anticipates rising demand in the coming months as the cost of living crisis helps drive up rent arrears and evictions.

“The cost of poor housing is spilling out into overwhelmed GP surgeries, mental health services, and hours lost from work,” said Shelter’s chief executive, Polly Neate. “The new housing secretary must get a grip on the housing crisis and tackle a major cause of ill health. Listening to the calls flooding into our helpline there is no doubt that health and housing go hand in hand. Yet, millions of renters are living in homes that make them sick because they are mouldy, cold, unaffordable and grossly insecure.”

Jude Geddes, 40, a married mother of three in Shoreham, said she had been left sleepless and her children anxious after facing three “no-fault” evictions in the last nine years, the latest during the pandemic.

“You try to keep it from the children and make it fine, but it’s the most horrendously stressful experience,” she said. “I feel like I am going through a grief process. [Eviction] is really unsettling and it makes you feel like it could happen at any moment.”

Krystalrose Shirley, 27, a private renter who only a month ago managed to get out of a mould-ridden flat she shared with her three-year-old daughter, urged tenants: “Don’t stand for it, don’t give up, fight.”

Both she and her daughter developed eye infections because of the mould in their ground floor rental in London and she had to throw out both her daughter’s cot and the bed she replaced it with after both were infested with fungus.

“You could see the spores going through the mattress,” she said. “I had a panic and had to throw it out straight away. It is disgusting that people can allow a family to live in a house in that state and not care about it.”

She said that the problems affected her health physically and mentally, but the landlords didn’t acknowledge it and treated her as if she was “deluded”.

“Now is the time to reverse the decline in council housing over the past few decades,” said David Renard, LGA housing spokesperson. “The benefits are clear – a programme of 100,000 social homes a year would shorten council housing waiting lists, reduce homelessness and cut carbon emissions, while delivering a multi-billion long-term boost to the economy.”

The most deprived council areas have the biggest concentrations of housing need and the longest waiting list, the LGA said. “With housing costs accounting for over a quarter of all expenditure by families with the lowest incomes, access to decent affordable homes is central to the success of any attempt to level up the poorest communities.”

A low-income household typically saves £37 a week renting in social housing compared to the private rental sector.

The Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities has been approached for comment.

Environment

NEMA cautions Lagos residents on safety amid downpour

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has cautioned Lagos residents on the need to observe safety rules to mitigate the impact of heavy rainfall in the state.

NEMA Coordinator, Lagos Territorial Office, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

Farinloye said motorists should park their vehicles and move away to safer environment during heavy rainfall.

He warned Lagos residents from taking shelter under temporary or makeshift accommodation during rainfall to avoid disaster.

He said people living on low level ground should move to a higher level ground for safety.

“Parents are enjoined not to send their children to errands during the rains.

“Follow instructions given by public safety officials.

“Be alert to changing weather conditions and be ready to move to higher ground.

“Consider postponing outdoor activities,” Farinloye said.

He advised parents to tie down or bring in outdoor objects (patio furniture, children’s toys, trash cans, etc.) that could be swept away or damaged during flooding.

“Consider unplugging sensitive electronic equipment before flooding occurs. But do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.

“Elevate items stored in your basement to prevent damage. If you have a sump pump, check that it is working,” Farinloye said.

He stressed that residents should consider clearing street catch basins to prevent or reduce street flooding.

He said motorists should void camping or parking along streams, rivers, creeks, or other areas prone to flooding during heavy rainfall.

“These areas can flood rapidly and with little warning,” Farinloye said.

NAN reports that most parts of Lagos has been experiencing downpour for about two consecutive days, leading to flash flooding and the destruction of the roofs of some buildings.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency had issued warning that about 30 states, including Lagos were at high risk of severe flooding as the rainy season approaches, raising nationwide concern over the country’s level of preparedness. (NAN)

Environment

Time for climate action is now, not tomorrow- Tinubu to Global leaders

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has urged world leaders to demonstrate unity, courage, and sustained commitment in addressing the worsening global climate crisis.

Speaking on Wednesday during a high-level virtual dialogue on climate and the just transition, President Tinubu reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to forging a paradigm shift in which climate action and economic growth advance together, not in opposition.

“The global climate emergency demands our collective, courageous, and sustained leadership. For Nigeria, the urgency of this moment is clear: we view climate action not as a cost to development, but as a strategic imperative.”

The meeting, co-hosted by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres and Brazilian President Luiz Inacia Lula da Silva, aimed to accelerate global climate ambition ahead of COP30, which Brazil will host.

Leaders from 17 countries, including China, the European Union, climate-vulnerable states, and key regional blocs such as the African Union, ASEAN, and the Alliance of Small Island States, participated in the meeting.

The leaders sent a clear message: climate action is moving forward, full speed ahead.

Addressing the session from Abuja, President Tinubu outlined Nigeria’s Energy Transition Plan (ETP) as a bold, pragmatic roadmap for reaching net-zero emissions by 2060. The ETP targets five core sectors—power, cooking, transportation, oil and gas, and industry—and identifies a financing need of over $410 billion by 2060 to achieve these goals.

“We are, therefore, in the process of aligning our regulatory environment, fiscal incentives, and institutional frameworks to ensure that energy access, decarbonisation, and economic competitiveness proceed in lockstep. We are also taking leadership on Energy Access,” he said.

President Tinubu underscored Nigeria’s role as an anchor country in the Mission 300 initiative, implemented in partnership with the World Bank and the African Development Bank. The initiative aims to deliver electricity to 300 million Africans by 2030.

He recalled his participation in the Dar es Salaam Declaration earlier this year and Nigeria’s presentation of its National Energy Compact, which outlines reform commitments, investment opportunities, and measurable targets to expand clean energy access and clean cooking solutions.

“This compact is among the first of its kind in Africa and lays out our policy reform commitments and specific investment opportunities in the energy sector. It sets quantifiable targets to grow electricity access and increase clean cooking penetration.

“We are working to build capacity and ensure that we meet these targets, reflecting not just our ambition but also our commitment to deliver on that ambition measurably,” he said.

As part of the broader energy reforms architecture, President Tinubu announced the finalisation of the Nigeria Carbon Market Activation Policy in March 2025. This policy will unlock up to $2.5 billion by 2030 in high-integrity carbon credits and related investments.

He disclosed that Nigeria is actively updating its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in line with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), with plans to present a comprehensive revision by September 2025.

“Our climate strategy is not limited to planning and regulation — it is also rooted in market reform.

“We are working to position Nigeria as a premier destination for climate-smart investment through the development of a Global Climate Change Investment Fund, which will serve as a platform to blend public and private capital, de-risk green infrastructure, and finance clean energy solutions at scale,” he said.

The fund will support key national priorities such as green industrial hubs, e-mobility infrastructure, regenerative agriculture, and renewable energy mini-grids for underserved communities.

President Tinubu thanked international partners, particularly the United Nations and Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), for their advisory and technical support.

“These partnerships are a shining example of the value of multilateral cooperation in climate delivery. We are prepared to collaborate, lead, and deliver — because we understand that the time for climate action is not tomorrow; it is now,” he said.

Environment

NiMet forecasts three-day thunderstorms from Sunday

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has forecasted thundery weather from Sunday to Tuesday across the country.

In its weather outlook released on Saturday in Abuja, NiMet noted the possibility of localized thunderstorms in parts of Taraba, Adamawa, and southern Kaduna States, primarily during the afternoon or evening on Sunday.

Additionally, NiMet anticipates partly cloudy skies over the North-Central region during the morning hours.

“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger, and Kogi states.

“Over the southern region, cloudy morning is expected with chances of localised thunderstorms over parts of Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Delta States.

“Later in the day, localised thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Anambra, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Imo, Abia, Ekiti, Rivers, Cross River, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom and Delta States,” it said.

The agency predicted sunny skies on Monday over the northern region throughout the forecast period, with the exception of some parts of Adamawa, Kaduna and Taraba States where isolated thunderstorms are expected during the afternoon/evening hours.

“Sunny skies with few clouds are expected across the North Central region during the morning period. Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Plateau, the Federal Capital Territory, Benue, Kogi, Kwara and Nasarawa states.

“In the southern region, cloudy skies with intervals of sunshine are anticipated with prospects of morning thunderstorms over parts of Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River States.