This week, temperatures soared above 40 degrees Celsius across much of Europe, surpassing the heat in parts of Spain and Portugal compared to the Sahara Desert.
Authorities are advising people to stay indoors, schools have shut down, wildfires are spreading, and nuclear facilities are scaling back their operations due to rivers being too warm for effective cooling. The World Health Organization reports that over 1,300 deaths in Europe can be attributed to the heat since June 21st.
Traditionally, European cities, residences, public areas, and the tourism sector were designed under the assumption that summers would be warm but manageable. Now, this assumption is being challenged.
Ajit Niranjan, The Guardian’s environmental correspondent for Europe, discusses the repercussions when an entire continent realizes it was developed for a climate that no longer matches reality.
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