Any party leader that does not make addressing climate change a priority "will place the prosperity and well-being of the British people at severe risk".

A call by more than 400 of the UK's leading climate scientists for all election hopefuls to commit to ambitious climate policies has been backed by European insulation specialist Actis.

In an open letter to all political parties the academics are calling for five actions to help address climate change, including accelerating moves to help the UK adapt in the light of rising temperatures.

The letter says residents are already feeling the effects of a warming planet and cite the summer heatwave of 2022 which saw thousands of excess deaths.

Its authors add that if a party leader does not make addressing climate change a priority they "will place the prosperity and well-being of the British people at severe risk" and will not deserve the support of the electorate.

Among the signatories is former government Chief Scientific Adviser Prof Sir David King who played a pivotal role in getting the Climate Change Act over the line in 2008.

UK and Ireland Sales Director Mark Cooper said: "Under Part O of the building regulations architects are obliged to limit unwanted solar gains and provide a way to remove heat from residential dwellings. Buildings insulated with certain types of insulation can make hot summers unbearable for the occupants.

"But not all insulation has that effect. In fact, quite the reverse. Our products keep homes cool during the summer as well as keeping the warmth in during the winter.

"While using reflective insulation alone is not the answer to addressing the impact of climate change, it will mitigate some of the effects by enabling houses to remain at a pleasant temperature."