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🇮🇸 Iceland /Environment & Climate

Extreme Heat in Western Europe Prompts Warnings and Closures

From Morgunblaðið · () Icelandic

Translated from Icelandic, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • A severe heatwave is affecting Western Europe, prompting school closures in England.
  • The UK Met Office issued a rare red heat warning for parts of England, predicting temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius.
  • UN Secretary-General António Guterres urges faster global action against climate change, warning against fossil fuels.

A stifling heatwave has gripped much of Western Europe, leading to the closure of dozens of schools in England for two days. The UK's Met Office issued a rare red heat warning, its second ever, for parts of central and southern England on Thursday and Friday. The warning signifies a potential risk to life and the possibility of critical infrastructure disruptions, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 40 degrees Celsius in some areas.

"Seeing temperatures like this in the UK in June is cause for concern," stated Stephen Belcher, chief scientist at the Met Office. He added, "Climate change caused by humans has made events like this more likely and more intense."

Seeing temperatures like this in the UK in June is cause for concern.

— Stephen BelcherThe chief scientist at the UK Met Office comments on the unusual June temperatures.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called for the world to act with greater speed and determination to limit global warming. He warned that the continued use of fossil fuels exacerbates both the climate and energy crises.

Climate change caused by humans has made events like this more likely and more intense.

— Stephen BelcherThe chief scientist at the UK Met Office links the heatwave to human-caused climate change.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Morgunblaðið in Icelandic. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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