France's high council on climate has issued a report that basically says, "Hey, it's getting hot in here, and our houses aren't helping." The independent body urged policymakers on Thursday to improve housing stock and make shaded green spaces a mandatory part of urban regeneration, because apparently living in what they call "thermal kettles" is not ideal for human health.
The report, now in its eighth edition, found that France is "not ready" for the dangerous consequences of climate change and that current policies are "insufficient" to avoid a sharp uptick in risk. The scientists lamented the slowdown in climate action and called for a consolidated plan to phase out fossil fuels, noting that "the cost of inaction is much higher than the cost of the transition." Groundbreaking stuff, really.
More than half of French homes are insufficiently protected from heat, according to nonprofits. And as Europe braces for yet another bout of scorching weather, the lack of air conditioning has become a culture war flashpoint. Health experts want more AC for vulnerable groups - hospitals, care homes, schools - but are wary of widespread adoption in private homes. Hans Kluge, head of the WHO Europe office, recommends "nuanced adoption" of air conditioning, because apparently nuance is the only thing that can save us now.
Efforts to adapt have brought death tolls down by 75% for heat considered extreme two decades ago, but heatwaves have since grown even hotter. More than 200,000 people died from heat in Europe in the last four years, according to WHO estimates. The record-breaking June heat is likely to yield a death toll in the thousands, if not low tens of thousands - well above levels that trouble the US, which uses AC to cool 90% of homes. But sure, let's argue about whether AC is evil.
Meanwhile, a reactor at the Golfech nuclear power plant near Toulouse had to shut down because the Garonne river is too warm - expected to hit 28°C. EDF said the second reactor was also down for maintenance, because why not pile on? Météo-France warns the heatwave will continue until at least July 14, with night temperatures hitting a record 30°C at Cap Béar. "Night-time temperatures exceeding 30°C are rare in France," they said, in what might be the understatement of the century.
Two-thirds of the EU's population may have been exposed to harmful ozone pollution during June's heatwave, per a report from Global Witness. Nearly 300 million people, including 100 million children and elderly, faced higher-than-recommended levels of the toxic pollutant. "People are being forced to live through very dangerous conditions as a result of our dependence on fossil fuels," said Flossie Boyd. Shocking, we know.
Wildfires have burned 28,000 hectares in France and 50,000 hectares in Spain as of July 1 - more than double the average. Scientists found that the June heatwave would have been "virtually impossible" without climate change. And in a twist that Mother Nature probably finds hilarious, a wet spring may have contributed to the fires by fueling extra vegetation that then dried up and became kindling.
Barcelona registered a maximum temperature of 40.7°C yesterday - the highest in 112 years. Some stations in Spain hit 44°C. Large parts of France are under orange extreme heat warnings, with Bordeaux and Perpignan expecting 38°C, and Paris 35°C. Northern Italy will see 36°C in Florence and Bologna. In the UK, London is bracing for temperatures up to 36°C, and the energy system operator has warned that "extreme temperatures" could hit power supplies. Because of course they will.