Last week's European heatwave, which saw temperatures exceed 40C in several countries and affected more than 150 million people, has raised questions about whether such extreme weather will galvanise action on climate change or inadvertently strengthen climate-sceptic political parties.
Record temperatures and rising death toll
Spain recorded over 100 heat-related excess deaths per day since Wednesday, while French authorities reported at least 1,000 additional deaths between 24 and 27 June. The heatwave, unprecedented for its early timing, also contributed to the deaths of four toddlers, including a three-year-old boy who died after becoming trapped in a car in a Paris suburb.
Germany, Czechia, Poland and Hungary reached record temperatures above 40C on Sunday as the heatwave spread eastward. Bautzen in eastern Saxony broke the German record for highest overnight minimum temperature at 29.4C.
Unprepared infrastructure
The UK experienced its highest June temperature ever at 37.3C. The London ambulance service recorded its busiest day ever for the most serious callouts on Wednesday, with 642 responses to cardiac arrests and life-threatening injuries, a record broken again two days later with more 999 calls than during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Schools closed early, workplaces overheated, and train operators advised against travel. The UK and other European countries remain unprepared for the strain on health and transport networks, according to experts.
Paradoxical political impact
Ajit Niranjan, the Guardian's Europe environment correspondent, said that while some extreme weather events temporarily boost support for climate action, far-right parties often benefit by framing the crisis as a failure of government policy. "They spin the extreme weather as a failure of government policy, arguing that focusing on climate change was part of the initial problem, and it is more about mismanagement," he said.
The 2024 floods in Valencia, which killed over 230 people, exemplify how both climate change and poor governance can combine to cause disasters. Niranjan noted that "both sides of this issue need to be addressed."
Air conditioning debate
Social media amplified divisions over air conditioning use. Patrick Collison, CEO of Stripe, used AI to argue that Europe should embrace air conditioning, but Niranjan said the debate is overblown: "There are very few actual restrictions on putting in air conditioning units in your home. This meme in the US that we hate air-con and refuse to have it is not really true."
In France, green progressives have opposed widespread AC, while the far-right National Rally has announced a "major" plan for air conditioning, capitalising on the issue.
Protecting the vulnerable
Niranjan emphasised that individuals can still make a difference: "For people who have this feeling of futility about climate change, there is still a lot we can do." He advised checking on elderly neighbours, offering icy water or ice cream, and staying hydrated. The World Health Organization reported that nearly 200,000 people died in Europe due to heat in the past four years, most of which were preventable.
