Select a language
Central and Western Europe are being hit by an exceptional heatwave and record-breaking temperatures for the month of June. From Spain right up to Denmark, in France, Belgium, and the Czech Republic, the heat – which in some places has reached nearly 43 °C – has disrupted the start of the season and already claimed lives. While the current death toll is not yet known, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has recorded more than 1,300 excess deaths since 21 June.
Closed schools, overcrowded hospitals, deserted homes… The heat wave has brought the issue of adapting to the profound transformations caused by climate change back to the forefront of public debate. Will policymakers take up the challenge? For some observers, this process is made more complex by a lack of cooperation among stakeholders, unstable funding, and difficulties in evaluating public policies.
As for the social nature of adaptation – people are more or less affected by climate change and environmental policies depending on whether they are rich or poor – it remains, according to the same observers, largely overlooked. By disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations (the elderly, the precarious, and those living in substandard housing), the heat wave has clearly demonstrated that climate change is a social issue.
Do you like our work?
Help multilingual European journalism to thrive, without ads or paywalls. Your one-off or regular support will keep our newsroom independent. Thank you!
