At least 101 million people across Europe were projected to endure temperatures surpassing 35C this Thursday. The ongoing, lethal heatwave has seen conditions that are, in some areas, more intense than those found in parts of Africa.
Nations like France and Spain are currently tallying the human cost of the extreme weather, which includes the tragic death of a three-year-old boy discovered inside a family vehicle. Data compiled from German weather forecasts and 2025 European Joint Research Centre population projections suggest that more than 380 million residents will experience temperatures climbing above 30C.
Simon Stiell, the UN climate chief, stated that the heatwave—exacerbated by infrastructure and buildings not designed for such extreme spikes—clearly carries the hallmarks of the climate crisis. He emphasized that the current heat is a consequence of fossil fuel pollution, warning that extreme weather will only intensify until society ceases its reliance on coal, oil, and gas.
According to Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, the event is caused by a trapped “heat dome” of air from North Africa held in place by a high-pressure system. While these domes can occur naturally, she noted that human-driven climate change is significantly increasing their frequency and severity.
France remains largely under extreme heat alerts, with approximately 63 million of its 67 million residents facing temperatures over 30C. Similar conditions are affecting 70 million people in Germany, 48 million in Italy, and 38 million in the UK, alongside significant impacts in Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. While western Europe may see a slight decline in heat by Friday, eastern regions are bracing for red-alert temperatures throughout the weekend.
In Spain, the MoMo mortality monitoring system reported 212 deaths between Sunday and Wednesday potentially linked to the record-breaking June heat. France has also reported three deaths in the Pas-de-Calais region likely caused by the weather. In the Paris suburbs, a toddler passed away after climbing into an unlocked vehicle while attempting to nap; local authorities confirmed two other children have suffered similar deaths this week.
Residents are seeking relief in various ways, with many in Paris sleeping in park hammocks or gathering at the Canal Saint-Martin, where officials authorized swimming. In Brussels, however, residents have voiced frustration over a lack of public swimming infrastructure. Meanwhile, Germany has cancelled several outdoor events and the rail operator Deutsche Bahn has urged travelers to reconsider journeys due to risks of wildfires and thunderstorms.
Vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly and those with medical conditions, remain the primary focus for health officials. At the Kingsley Court Care Home in the UK, staff are working to prevent dehydration among dementia patients, as temperatures in the country reach record-breaking levels for June. Lucine Nazikian, a 97-year-old resident, urged the world to take the climate crisis seriously, suggesting that nature is reacting to the destruction of the environment.
