Europe is once again — or still — grappling with an intense heatwave that is straining emergency services and disrupting daily life.
Authorities have raised concerns over wildfire conditions, as more than 300 fires were recorded across France on Wednesday of last week alone, prompting Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez to urge local officials to mobilise volunteer firefighters where necessary.
Meanwhile, the Golfech nuclear power plant near Toulouse temporarily shut down one of its reactors after the temperature of the Garonne River rose to levels that limited its ability to safely cool the facility.
Worse yet, the heat has understandably reignited debate over Europe’s preparedness for rising temperatures.
France’s High Council on Climate warned that the country remains “not ready” for the dangerous impacts of climate change, calling for cooler housing, more shaded public spaces and greater investment in cooling systems for hospitals, schools and care homes.
Scientists behind the report have argued that the long-term costs of failing to adapt would far outweigh the expense of climate action.
Health experts are also renewing calls for targeted use of air conditioning. While Europe has traditionally favoured measures such as insulation, shading and cooling centres over widespread domestic air conditioning, specialists argue that vulnerable groups—including hospital patients, elderly care home residents and schoolchildren—require better access to mechanical cooling during extreme heat.
The consequences are already becoming apparent. Belgium has revised its estimate of excess deaths during the late June heatwave to 1,747 people—an excess mortality rate of 47%, the highest recorded since national records began in 2000.
Air quality has also deteriorated. A report by Global Witness estimated that nearly two-thirds of the European Union’s population may have been exposed to harmful ozone pollution during last month’s record-breaking heatwave, including around 100 million children and elderly people.
The organization described ozone pollution as an “invisible threat” intensified by continued dependence on fossil fuels.
In England, attendance figures released by the Department for Education showed that school absences surged during the late June heatwave. Nationally, around 18% of pupils were absent on one of the hottest days, with some of the worst-hit areas seeing nearly two-thirds of secondary school students stay home as schools shortened opening hours or closed altogether.
Scientists also warn that this year’s devastating wildfire season reflects a broader pattern linked to climate change. France and Spain had already seen tens of thousands of hectares burned by early July—well above average for the time of year. Researchers say an unusually wet spring encouraged vegetation growth, which later dried out during prolonged heatwaves, creating abundant fuel for rapidly spreading fires.
With temperatures continuing to exceed 35 degrees Celsius across parts of France and Spain, governments across Europe are increasingly facing not only an immediate public health emergency but also mounting pressure to accelerate long-term adaptation to a warming climate.
