This week, Europe experienced temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, surpassing the heat in certain areas of Spain and Portugal compared to the Sahara Desert. Authorities are advising people to remain indoors, schools have shut down, wildfires are spreading, and nuclear power plants are reducing output due to rivers being too warm to efficiently cool them. The World Health Organization reports that over 1,300 deaths in Europe have been attributed to the heat since June 21st.
Historically, Europe developed its urban areas, residences, public spaces, and tourism sector based on the expectation of warm but manageable summers. However, this paradigm is shifting. The Guardian’s Europe environment correspondent, Ajit Niranjan, discusses the repercussions of an entire continent realizing it was designed for a climate that no longer matches its current reality.