Latest news with #SamanthaBurgess
Gulf Today
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Gulf Today
Deadly temperatures blasted western Europe in record hot June
Western Europe sweltered through its hottest June on record last month, as extreme temperatures blasted the region in punishing back-to-back heatwaves, the EU climate monitor Copernicus said on Wednesday. Dangerous temperatures stretched into July, with separate research estimating that climate change made the heat up to 4˚C hotter, pushing the thermometer into deadly territory for thousands of vulnerable people and greatly worsening the projected death toll. Millions of people were exposed to high heat stress as daily average temperatures in western Europe climbed to levels rarely seen before — and never so early in the summer. Tourists descend from the Acropolis after Greek authorities closed the site for the hottest part of the day. Reuters Several countries recorded surface temperatures above 40˚C, with heat of up to 46˚C in Spain and Portugal, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said. "In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe," said Samantha Burgess, the EU monitor's Strategic Lead for Climate. The two heatwaves, in mid and late June, were linked to heat domes trapping warm air over affected regions and worsening pollution and wildfire conditions. People refresh themselves in the cool water of a fountain in front of the Cathedral at the Lustgarten park on Museum Island in Berlin. AFP France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and much of the Balkans saw some of the hottest "feels-like" temperatures, which measure the impact on the human body by taking into account factors such as humidity. Maximum feels-like temperatures north of Lisbon hit 48˚C, about 7˚C above average and associated with "extreme heat stress", said Copernicus. Large parts of southern Europe also experienced so-called "tropical nights", when overnight temperatures don't fall low enough to let the body recover. 'SILENT KILLER' Heatwaves are particularly dangerous for the elderly, the sick, young children, outdoor workers, and anyone exposed to high temperatures for prolonged periods without relief. In separate research Wednesday, scientists drawing on historical weather data concluded the heat between June 23 and July 2 "would have been 2-4C cooler" without human-induced climate change in all but one of the 12 cities studied. Tourists rest in shade after visiting the Acropolis, as a heatwave grips Athens. Reuters They also for the first time sought to estimate how many people may have died, concluding that there may have been some 2,300 heat-related deaths over that period in the cities studied. Around two thirds of those, or 1,500, would not have happened without climate change, said the researchers, stressing that their estimate was just a snapshot of the wider heatwave. No official death toll is yet available, and the study has not been peer reviewed. "An increase in heatwave temperature of just two or four degrees can mean the difference between life and death for thousands of people," said Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, a lecturer at Imperial College London. "This is why heatwaves are known as silent killers. Most heat-related deaths occur in homes and hospitals out of public view and are rarely reported," he told reporters. 'EXCEPTIONAL' HEAT Burgess said the impact of the heatwaves in Europe was intensified by record sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean. They hit an all-time daily maximum in June. Sea surface temperatures across the western Mediterranean were "exceptionally high" in the month, some 5C above average in some areas. Temperatures surged to a record 27˚C on June 30, Copernicus said. French firefighters work to contain a fire as trees burn in the Fontfroide massif, as wildfires continue to spread during a heatwave near Narbonne in southern France. Reuters The higher water temperatures reduced nighttime air cooling along the coasts, contributed to higher humidity, and harmed marine life. An AFP analysis based on Copernicus data, found that 12 countries and some 790 million people around the world experienced record heat last month. Dangerous heat blanketed parts of the United States, while in China, 102 weather stations logged the hottest-ever June day. Some measuring temperatures above 40˚C, according to state media. June saw a catalogue of weather extremes across the world. Devastating wildfires blazed across parts of Canada and southern Europe, while deadly flooding swept areas of South Africa, China and Pakistan. The Copernicus dataset, drawing on billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations, has recorded relentlessly rising temperatures as the planet warms as a result of humanity's emissions of greenhouse gases. Globally, last month was the third warmest June on record. The hottest June was in 2024 and the second hottest was in 2023, Copernicus said. While the recent blistering heat streak was partly stoked by warmer El Nino conditions, temperatures have remained at record or near-record levels even after that faded last year. Agence France-Presse
Express Tribune
10-07-2025
- Climate
- Express Tribune
'June was hottest on record in western Europe'
People refresh themselves in the cool water of a fountain in front of the Cathedral at the Lustgarten park on Museum Island in Berlin. PHOTO: AFP Western Europe sweltered through its hottest June on record last month, as "extreme" temperatures blasted the region in punishing back-to-back heatwaves, the EU climate monitor Copernicus said Wednesday. Globally, this past June was the third warmest on record, continuing a blistering heat streak in recent years as the planet warms as a result of humanity's emissions of greenhouse gases. The previous hottest June was in 2024 and the second hottest was in 2023, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said. Sweltering extremes were particularly pronounced in Europe, which is warming several times faster than the global average. Millions of people were exposed to high heat stress across parts of the continent as daily average temperatures in western Europe climbed to levels rarely seen before -- and never so early in the summer. Several countries recorded surface temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius, with heat of up to 46C in Spain and Portugal, Copernicus said. Samantha Burgess, the EU monitor's Strategic Lead for Climate, said the impact of the heatwaves in Europe was "exceptional", intensified by record sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean — which hit an all-time daily maximum in June. "In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe," she said. The two heatwaves — from June 17 to 22, and again from June 30 to July 2 — were linked to heat domes trapping warm air over affected regions, prolonging the stifling weather, and worsening pollution and wildfire conditions.
Kuwait Times
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Kuwait Times
Deadly temperatures blasted western Europe in hot June
PARIS: Western Europe sweltered through its hottest June on record last month, as extreme temperatures blasted the region in punishing back-to-back heatwaves, the EU climate monitor Copernicus said Wednesday. Dangerous temperatures stretched into July, with separate research estimating that climate change made the heat up to 4C hotter, pushing the thermometer into deadly territory for thousands of vulnerable people and greatly worsening the projected death toll. Millions of people were exposed to high heat stress as daily average temperatures in western Europe climbed to levels rarely seen before — and never so early in the summer. Several countries recorded surface temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), with heat of up to 46C (114.8F) in Spain and Portugal, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said. 'In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe,' said Samantha Burgess, the EU monitor's Strategic Lead for Climate. The two heatwaves, in mid and late June, were linked to heat domes trapping warm air over affected regions and worsening pollution and wildfire conditions. France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and much of the Balkans saw some of the hottest 'feels-like' temperatures, which measure the impact on the human body by taking into account factors such as humidity. Maximum feels-like temperatures north of Lisbon hit 48C (118.4F), about 7C above average and associated with 'extreme heat stress', said Copernicus. Large parts of southern Europe also experienced so-called 'tropical nights', when overnight temperatures don't fall low enough to let the body recover. Heatwaves are particularly dangerous for the elderly, the sick, young children, outdoor workers, and anyone exposed to high temperatures for prolonged periods without relief. In separate research Wednesday, scientists drawing on historical weather data concluded the heat between June 23 and July 2 'would have been 2-4C cooler' without human-induced climate change in all but one of the 12 cities studied. They also for the first time sought to estimate how many people may have died, concluding that there may have been some 2,300 heat-related deaths over that period in the cities studied. Around two thirds of those, or 1,500, would not have happened without climate change, said the researchers, stressing that their estimate was just a snapshot of the wider heatwave. — AFP No official death toll is yet available, and the study has not been peer reviewed. 'An increase in heatwave temperature of just two or four degrees can mean the difference between life and death for thousands of people,' said Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, a lecturer at Imperial College London. 'This is why heatwaves are known as silent killers. Most heat-related deaths occur in homes and hospitals out of public view and are rarely reported,' he told reporters. Burgess said the impact of the heatwaves in Europe was intensified by record sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean. They hit an all-time daily maximum in June. Sea surface temperatures across the western Mediterranean were 'exceptionally high' in the month, some 5C above average in some areas. Temperatures surged to a record 27C on June 30, Copernicus said. The higher water temperatures reduced nighttime air cooling along the coasts, contributed to higher humidity, and harmed marine life. An AFP analysis based on Copernicus data, found that 12 countries and some 790 million people around the world experienced record heat last month. Dangerous heat blanketed parts of the United States, while in China, 102 weather stations logged the hottest-ever June day. Some measuring temperatures above 40C, according to state media. June saw a catalogue of weather extremes across the world. Devastating wildfires blazed across parts of Canada and southern Europe, while deadly flooding swept areas of South Africa, China and Pakistan. The Copernicus dataset, drawing on billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations, has recorded relentlessly rising temperatures as the planet warms as a result of humanity's emissions of greenhouse gases. Globally, last month was the third warmest June on record. The hottest June was in 2024 and the second hottest was in 2023, Copernicus said. While the recent blistering heat streak was partly stoked by warmer El Nino conditions, temperatures have remained at record or near-record levels even after that faded last year. – AFP
MTV Lebanon
09-07-2025
- Health
- MTV Lebanon
European Heat Wave Caused 2,300 Deaths
Around 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities during the severe heat wave that ended last week, according to a rapid scientific analysis published on Wednesday. The study targeted the 10 days, ending July 2, during which large parts of Western Europe were hit by extreme heat, with temperatures breaching 40 degrees Celsius (104°F) in Spain and wildfires breaking out in France. Of the 2,300 people estimated to have died during this period, 1,500 deaths were linked to climate change, which made the heat wave more severe, according to the study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. 'Climate change has made it significantly hotter than it would have been, which in turn makes it a lot more dangerous,' said Dr Ben Clarke, a researcher at Imperial College London. The study covered 12 cities including Barcelona, Madrid, London and Milan, where the researchers said climate change had increased heatwave temperatures by up to 4 degrees Celsius. The researchers used established epidemiological models and historical mortality data to estimate the death toll, which reflects deaths where heat was the underlying reason for mortality, including if exposure exacerbated pre-existing health conditions. The scientists said they used peer-reviewed methods to quickly produce the estimated death toll, because most heat-related deaths are not officially reported and some governments do not release this data. Last month was the planet's third-hottest June on record, behind the same month in 2024 and 2023, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service said in a monthly bulletin on Wednesday. Western Europe experienced its warmest June on record, with much of the region experiencing 'very strong heat stress' - defined by conditions that feel like a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more, Copernicus said. 'In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe,' said Samantha Burgess, Copernicus' strategic lead for climate. Researchers from European health institutes reported in 2023 that as many as 61,000 people may have died in Europe's sweltering heatwaves in 2022, according to new research, suggesting countries' heat preparedness efforts are falling fatally short. The build-up of greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere - which mostly come from the burning of fossil fuels - means the planet's average temperature has increased over time. This increase in baseline temperatures means that when a heatwave comes, temperatures can surge to higher peaks.
CNA
09-07-2025
- Climate
- CNA
Deadly temperatures blasted western Europe in record hot June
PARIS: Western Europe sweltered through its hottest June on record last month, as extreme temperatures blasted the region in punishing back-to-back heatwaves, the EU climate monitor Copernicus said on Wednesday (Jul 9). Dangerous temperatures stretched into July, with separate research estimating that climate change made the heat up to 4°C hotter, pushing the thermometer into deadly territory for thousands of vulnerable people and greatly worsening the projected death toll. Millions of people were exposed to high heat stress as daily average temperatures in western Europe climbed to levels rarely seen before - and never so early in the summer. Several countries recorded surface temperatures above 40°C, with heat of up to 46°C in Spain and Portugal, the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said. "In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense and impact more people across Europe," said Samantha Burgess, the EU monitor's Strategic Lead for Climate. The two heatwaves, in mid and late June, were linked to heat domes trapping warm air over affected regions and worsening pollution and wildfire conditions. France, Italy, Portugal, Spain and much of the Balkans saw some of the hottest "feels-like" temperatures, which measure the impact on the human body by taking into account factors such as humidity. Maximum feels-like temperatures north of Lisbon hit 48°C, about 7°C above average and associated with "extreme heat stress", said Copernicus. Large parts of southern Europe also experienced so-called "tropical nights", when overnight temperatures don't fall low enough to let the body recover. "SILENT KILLER" Heatwaves are particularly dangerous for the elderly, the sick, young children, outdoor workers, and anyone exposed to high temperatures for prolonged periods without relief. In separate research Wednesday, scientists drawing on historical weather data concluded the heat between Jun 23 and Jul 2 "would have been 2-4°C cooler" without human-induced climate change in all but one of the 12 cities studied. They also for the first time sought to estimate how many people may have died, concluding that there may have been some 2,300 heat-related deaths over that period in the cities studied. Around two thirds of those, or 1,500, would not have happened without climate change, said the researchers, stressing that their estimate was just a snapshot of the wider heatwave. No official death toll is yet available, and the study has not been peer reviewed. "An increase in heatwave temperature of just two or four degrees can mean the difference between life and death for thousands of people," said Garyfallos Konstantinoudis, a lecturer at Imperial College London. "This is why heatwaves are known as silent killers. Most heat-related deaths occur in homes and hospitals out of public view and are rarely reported," he told reporters. "EXCEPTIONAL" HEAT Burgess said the impact of the heatwaves in Europe was intensified by record sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean. They hit an all-time daily maximum in June. Sea surface temperatures across the western Mediterranean were "exceptionally high" in the month, some 5°C above average in some areas. Temperatures surged to a record 27°C on Jun 30, Copernicus said. The higher water temperatures reduced nighttime air cooling along the coasts, contributed to higher humidity, and harmed marine life. An AFP analysis based on Copernicus data, found that 12 countries and some 790 million people around the world experienced record heat last month. Dangerous heat blanketed parts of the United States, while in China, 102 weather stations logged the hottest-ever June day. Some measuring temperatures above 40°C, according to state media. June saw a catalogue of weather extremes across the world. Devastating wildfires blazed across parts of Canada and southern Europe, while deadly flooding swept areas of South Africa, China and Pakistan. The Copernicus dataset, drawing on billions of measurements from satellites, ships, aircraft and weather stations, has recorded relentlessly rising temperatures as the planet warms as a result of humanity's emissions of greenhouse gases. Globally, last month was the third warmest June on record. The hottest June was in 2024 and the second hottest was in 2023, Copernicus said.
