Heat Wave Kills More Than 250 Across Western Europe

More than 250 people died from heat-related causes across western Europe in the past week. Deaths included cases of heatstroke, drowning, and children left in vehicles. Emergency medical services in France recorded 30 percent more calls than usual.

MRI scanners at some hospitals were knocked offline by heat and humidity, delaying care. Stéphanie Rist, France’s minister of health, stated on Thursday that every heat wave leads to excess mortality but preventive measures can reduce deaths. Paris zinc roofs, protected as cultural heritage, trap heat in upper-floor apartments that lack insulation.

Air conditioning units move heat from buildings into surrounding streets, intensifying the urban heat island effect in dense areas. Hans-Martin Füssel, a climate risk expert at the European Environment Agency, said this process can add several degrees to city temperatures during peak events. France’s electricity mix relies on nuclear, hydro, wind and solar for 95 per cent of generation.

Lower wind speeds and warmer river water have cut output from turbines and reactors, pushing wholesale electricity prices higher. Clair Barnes, research associate at the Grantham Institute for Climate Change and the Environment, told Reuters that human-caused warming has raised temperatures during recent heat waves by two to four degrees compared with pre-industrial conditions.

Füssel said solutions such as urban greening, designated cool zones, and adjusted staffing for emergency services are well understood but difficult to put in place.

Renters often lack authority to install cooling equipment even when it would help. Air conditioning can reduce indoor heat when used appropriately, yet it does not address the underlying rise in extreme temperatures driven by fossil-fuel emissions.