An extreme early heat event across parts of western Europe followed new May temperature records in France and the UK. The UN climate chief said the main cause is humanity’s burning of coal, oil, and gas, which drives climate change. Human-induced warming is increasing the frequency and intensity of heatwaves, with temperatures in France, Spain, and the UK reaching levels usually seen in July or August. Protecting lives, businesses, and economies from extreme heat is described as a core national priority that requires faster action to end fossil fuel dependence. The war in the Middle East is cited as showing the high costs of fossil fuel reliance and the need to shift to cleaner energy. India also reported deaths from heatstroke amid 43C-plus conditions.
"The UN climate chief has said an extreme early heat event sweeping parts of western Europe was a brutal reminder of the spiralling impacts of the climate crisis, after France and the UK set new temperature records for May on two consecutive days. Simon Stiell, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said on Wednesday the main culprit was humanity's burning of coal, oil and gas known to be the primary driver of climate change."
"The science is clear that human-induced climate change is making these heatwaves more frequent and extreme, Stiell said, as France, Spain and the UK sweltered in temperatures usually associated with July or August. Protecting human lives, businesses and economies from extreme heat and the many other soaring costs of climate change is core business for every nation, and it starts with kicking the fossil fuel addiction much faster."
"The UK record for the hottest day in May has been broken twice this week, with stifling conditions on the tube in London. A temperature of 35.1C (95.2F) was recorded at Kew Gardens in London on Tuesday, the UK's Met Office said, breaking the 34.8C record set a day earlier. The readings easily surpassed a previous record of 32.8C that was set in 1922 and equalled in 1944."
"France, which was expecting peaks of 39C on Wednesday, also recorded its hottest May day ever on Tuesday, when the national heat index, an average of 30 readings around the country, hit 24.8C, surpassing Monday's 24.6C itself a record. Meteo-France, the national weather service, said a heat dome with heat held in place by a high-pressure weather front was producing temperatures more than 10C to 13C higher than customary for the time of year."
Read at www.theguardian.com
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