Europe’s Record-Breaking Heatwave

Europe is in a severe heatwave, with Spain and England recording their hottest June on record. Spain’s average June temperature hit 23.6C, surpassing typical July–August levels, while England’s mean reached 16.9C; the UK overall had its second-warmest June since 1884. Mainland Portugal set a June daily record of 46.6C, and multiple European countries faced extreme heat: France activated red alerts and closed schools; Italy imposed outdoor work bans and saw hospitalizations rise; Greece and Turkey battled wildfires and evacuations; Germany neared 38C and saw Rhine river levels drop, affecting shipping. Night-time temperatures stayed unusually high across major cities. Scientists and the UN link the intensifying frequency and severity of heatwaves to human-driven climate change, warning of escalating health, environmental, and economic impacts.

UNESCO reports that 73% of the world’s 1,172 non-marine World Heritage sites face severe water-related risks driven by climate change, including water stress, drought, river flooding, and coastal flooding. Cultural sites are most threatened by water scarcity, while over half of natural sites risk river flooding. Examples include: India’s Taj Mahal suffering from groundwater depletion and pollution; Yellowstone National Park’s 2022 flood causing over $20 million in repairs; Iraq’s Garden of Eden marshes facing extreme water stress; Victoria Falls experiencing recurrent drought; Peru’s Chan Chan at high risk of river flooding; and Chinese coastal mudflats threatened by sea-level rise. The findings echo broader projections that continued warming could endanger hundreds of heritage sites through rising seas and extreme weather, with significant risks to ecosystems, communities, and tourism economies.

A severe early-summer heat wave is gripping Europe, breaking records and disrupting daily life. Barcelona logged its hottest June in over a century and Spain hit 114 F (46 C), with Mediterranean sea temperatures reducing nighttime relief. Paris is forecast to reach 104 F (40 C); the Eiffel Tower’s summit closed to ensure safety, and over 1,300 French schools shut or curtailed operations under red alerts. The U.K. recorded its warmest June for England and the hottest Wimbledon opening day. Italy faces simultaneous heat waves and northern floods, with a suspected heat-related death near Bologna. Portugal set a June national record at 115 F (46.6 C), Turkey is battling wildfires and evacuations, and Central Europe braces for near-100 F highs. Officials link the unusually intense, early heat to global warming, warning of widespread heat stress.

- Greggs warned that June’s unseasonably hot weather reduced footfall and like-for-like sales, despite higher demand for cold drinks. - Shares fell about 15% after the trading update. - H1 2025 like-for-like sales rose 2.6%, with total sales up to £1.03 billion from £961 million a year earlier. - The company cautioned that full-year operating profit may be slightly below 2024 levels. - Greggs will continue its expansion, targeting 140–150 net new openings this year. - Analysts suggested heatwave-driven demand shifts and pressured consumer wallets may be weighing on performance.

Europe is suffering record, persistent heat waves, yet home air conditioning remains rare (about 20% of homes, far lower in the UK and Germany) due to historically mild climates, high energy costs, older building stock, architectural designs that favored passive cooling (especially in the south), regulatory hurdles on exterior units, and climate policy concerns. AC adoption is rising rapidly as extreme heat worsens, but widespread cooling risks higher energy use, urban heat, and emissions, creating a climate-worsening feedback loop. Experts urge a dual approach: improve building design and retrofits for passive cooling, and tighten efficiency standards for new AC units to manage health needs without undermining Europe’s decarbonization goals.

A severe heatwave is gripping Europe, with temperatures surpassing 104°F (40°C) in Spain, Greece, Portugal, and Italy. Firefighters battled a wildfire near Athens, and parts of Portugal were on high alert. Experts link the extreme heat to climate change.

CNN profiles Pyri, a startup by design engineering graduates developing pinecone-sized, eco-friendly wildfire sensors made from wax and charcoal composites. The maintenance-free devices blend into the environment, avoid toxic materials and lithium batteries, and trigger a low-frequency alarm when heat melts an internal mechanism. Inspired by fire-adapted pinecones, their ribbed, lightweight form allows aerial deployment and camouflage. Pyri pairs detections with AI analysis of weather and satellite data to validate alerts and plans a subscription model bundling sensors, installation, and monitoring at roughly half competitors’ cost, targeting under-resourced regions. As climate change drives longer, more severe fire seasons, the team argues early, affordable detection can speed evacuations and containment, complementing higher-cost systems like satellites and thermal cameras.

The UK logged its hottest day of 2025 with 34.7C in London, as a Europe-wide heatwave pushed temperatures to 40C in Paris, forcing over 1,300 French schools to partially or fully close and shutting the Eiffel Tower’s summit. Italy placed 17 major cities under heat alerts, the Czech Republic hit 37C with zoos using tons of ice for animals, and Spain saw 40C+ in cities including Madrid, Seville, and Barcelona. UN chief António Guterres warned extreme heat is now the “new normal.” In Turkey, wildfires continued for a second day, driven by strong winds, prompting over 50,000 evacuations, mainly in Izmir and also in Hatay. The UK Met Office said Tuesday likely marked the peak of the heatwave, with cooler air expected from the north.

The Women’s Euros kick off in Switzerland amid extreme heat warnings, prompting UEFA to relax security so fans can bring water. With temperatures around 30C and recent heat-impacted matches at the men’s Club World Cup in the US, global players’ union FIFPRO is urging stronger protections: cooling breaks every 15 minutes (instead of just once per half) and extending half-time to 20 minutes to reduce players’ core temperatures. FIFPRO says heat is harming performance and health, and criticizes slow responses to rescheduling requests. FIFA says it’s implementing measures like frequent cooling breaks and is open to broader dialogue through its player welfare task force. Heat, storms, and climate pressures are complicating scheduling ahead of next year’s mostly US-based World Cup, with future tournaments in hotter regions also raising concerns.