‘Unprecedented’ changes in UK climate are normalising extremes, report says

The UK is experiencing its third heatwave of the year, with temperatures exceeding 35C in some areas and amber heat health alerts issued for most of England. Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with scientists attributing the punishing temperatures to fossil fuel pollution and warning of potential mass-mortality events for some species due to high ocean temperatures. Early estimates suggest over 20,000 heat-related deaths may have occurred across the continent this summer, with Belgium and Germany reporting significant excess deaths. The climate crisis is making such heatwaves more likely and intense, according to climate scientists. The heatwave is straining public services, including the NHS, which saw record A&E attendances in June, and has led to school closures and hosepipe bans in parts of the UK.

Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, with average temperatures exceeding the 1991-2020 norm by over three degrees Celsius. This extreme heat was driven by a significant heatwave in the latter half of the month, which broke records in several countries. The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the continent's average temperature for June was 20.74C. This heatwave is linked to thousands of deaths, primarily in France, Spain, and Belgium, and contributed to wildfires in southwestern Europe due to dry conditions. Globally, June's average temperature was also above the long-term average, and sea surface temperatures outside polar regions reached a record high for the month.

Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record, with temperatures 3.06°C above average, according to the EU's Copernicus climate monitoring service. This heatwave, inflamed by carbon pollution, has led to record wildfires in France and Spain, with EU wildfires burning 56% more land than usual. The UK is also facing its third heatwave of the year, with high temperatures and exceptionally warm overnight lows impacting sleep. Scientists warn these increasingly intense heatwaves pose growing risks to people, ecosystems, and infrastructure, with an estimated 200,000 heat-related deaths in Europe over the past four years. Adaptation measures, such as increasing urban tree cover, are being highlighted as crucial for mitigating the impacts of extreme weather.