Europe is experiencing record-breaking heat waves with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius in many areas. Some regions in Spain and Portugal are even hotter than the Sahara Desert. As a result, governments are advising citizens to remain indoors, schools are shutting down, wildfires are spreading, and nuclear reactors are reducing output due to warm rivers hindering their cooling efficiency. The World Health Organization reports that over 1,300 deaths in Europe have been attributed to the heat since June 21st.
For decades, Europe has developed its infrastructure, cities, and tourism industry based on the expectation of warm but tolerable summers. However, this long-standing assumption is now being challenged by the changing climate. The Guardian’s Europe environment correspondent, Ajit Niranjan, discusses the implications of a continent realizing its infrastructure was designed for a climate that no longer aligns with the current reality.