The leader of France’s far-right party called for a “grand plan” for air conditioning during the same week her party tried to block new wind and solar projects. The latest heatwave has reignited this debate in France, just months before the presidential election.
Meanwhile, urgent calls to cut emissions continue to be ignored as centrist governments across Europe weaken climate policies and roll back green rules in the name of competitiveness. UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who warned earlier this week that London was “cooking,” repeated his long-standing plea at London Climate Action Week on Tuesday to stop burning fossil fuels. The next day, the organizers of a related panel on extreme heat governance canceled it because it was too hot. The day after, US President Donald Trump advised the UK’s likely next prime minister, Andy Burnham, to “open up the North Sea” for oil and gas drilling, despite experts saying it’s a mature basin where at least 90% of accessible fossil fuels have already been used.
For Masselot, whose childhood summers often meant sitting inside with all the shutters closed—”basically you live in a cave from 10am to 6pm”—there has at least been some progress in awareness about heat and how to cope with it. “People have learned lessons, and now we know the consequences it can have,” he said. “But sometimes it feels like as soon as summer ends, we forget about it.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Europes lack of preparedness for rising temperatures based on the premise of An unfortunate certainty
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 What exactly is An unfortunate certainty
Its a phrase describing the grim reality that despite decades of warnings from scientists Europe is now facing severe heatwaves droughts and wildfiresand its still not ready for them
2 Why is Europe unprepared if weve known about climate change for so long
Mainly because warnings were often treated as future problems not immediate crises Many governments focused on reducing emissions but delayed investing in adaptationlike cooling cities or upgrading water systems
3 What are the biggest problems Europe is facing right now from heat
Heatrelated deaths
Crop failures and water shortages
Infrastructure damage
Wildfires becoming more frequent and intense
4 Isnt Europes climate usually mild Why is this so shocking
Historically yesbut climate change is disrupting that Heatwaves that used to be rare are now happening every few years The infrastructure built for a mild climate is now failing under extreme heat
5 Whats an example of a simple adaptation Europe could have done earlier
Painting roofs white or planting more trees in cities to reduce the urban heat island effect Many cities are only now starting these projects decades after they were recommended
IntermediateLevel Questions
6 Why did Europe focus so much on cutting emissions instead of preparing for heat
Politically reducing carbon felt like a proactive global solution Adaptation was seen as giving up or too expensive Also adaptation benefits are local and harder to sell to voters than a green energy plan
7 What does unprepared actually look like in practice
Hospitals without enough cooling for patients
Public transport shutting down when tracks overheat
Housing stock built to retain heat in winter making them deadly in summer
