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Heatwave kills and strains
A heatwave sweeping parts of Europe killed at least 18 people in France, including two children aged 2 and 4 found unconscious in a family car outside their home in Carpentras, southeast France.
“As Parisians chase the chance to dip into the Seine, catch the spray from the Eiffel Tower, or touch the cool water in fountains to prevent a potential heat stroke, politicians’ attention is increasingly focused on pushing the escalating heat crisis onto their electoral agendas amid rising concerns about health and economic consequences and disruptions to services at public facilities”
Reuters said the temperature in Bordeaux rose to 41.9 degrees Celsius, breaking a record set last August, and in Poitiers it reached 41.2C, beating a previous high set in 1947.
In Turin, utility Iren faced strain on the electricity grid and responded by adding generators and extra worker shifts as the heatwave disrupted normal conditions.
In France, the Civil Safety service spokesperson Jerome Boulanger said, after 13 people were reported drowned from Sunday into Monday, "Swim only in places that are supervised," and the Reuters Climate Monitor showed Europe as the continent furthest from its historic norm on Monday.
In Belgium, the Centre for the Rehabilitation of Animals Living in the Wild refuge in Temploux took in 150 heat-stricken animals in the last three days, with founder Romaine de Jaegere saying roof temperatures can reach 50C, even 60C, during the heat.
Alerts, bans, and warnings
France issued red heatwave alerts for around half the country including Paris, and the office of Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said for state-organised events "instructions have been given not to offer alcohol" during the annual Fête de la Musique.
The BBC reported that nearly 850 schools were due to stay closed on Monday, while 1,500 more would let pupils leave early, as authorities warned temperatures could match historic highs.
In Le Monde’s account, Britain’s Met Office issued a rare red warning for extreme heat running from 9:00 am on Wednesday to 9:00 pm on Thursday, covering central and southern England including London and Birmingham.
Le Monde also said in France, 49 of the country’s 96 mainland departments were under the highest heat alert, with temperatures forecast to reach 43°C in Bordeaux and 39°C in Paris, according to Meteo-France.
The BBC added that the rising temperatures were driven by hot air moving north from the Sahara desert, which it said was trapping hot air over western and central Europe.
Adaptation becomes political
As the heatwave episode was described by Météo-France as "intense and lasting" and expected to last at least until Thursday, June 25, Ecostylia framed the crisis as a test of public authority ahead of the 2027 race.
“France put emergency services and military forces on wildfire alert, restricted public alcohol consumption and canceled some outdoor sports events to cope with a heat wave scorching parts of Europe”
Ecostylia said the heat plateau was expected at least until Thursday, June 25, and that temperatures could exceed 40 °C over part of the territory, with red alerts triggering guidance for schools, work, transport and health facilities.
Le Monde reported that French forecasters said the current heatwave could end up being as serious as the one in August 2003 that claimed the lives of nearly 15,000 people in France, while also noting that 845 schools were shut on Monday and another 1,800 set to allow students to leave earlier than usual.
In the political debate described by Al-Jazeera Net, the Greens accepted the idea of targeted air conditioning in certain places while framing it within a broader set that included protecting workers, transforming buildings, organizing schedules and social rights.
Al-Jazeera Net also said Marine Tondelier supported a petition to create a climate leave that could be up to five days a year when conditions prevent working or when schools close, as politicians argued over how to live with seasonal heat.
