Record May heatwave sweeps western Europe as UN warns of fossil fuel link

A record-breaking May heatwave driven by a heat dome pushed temperatures above 35C in the UK and 39C in France, with both countries setting new monthly highs on consecutive days. The UN climate chief Simon Stiell called the event a "brutal reminder" of the climate crisis, blaming the burning of coal, oil and gas. At least seven heat-related deaths were reported in France, while authorities across Spain, Italy and Germany imposed heat alerts and work restrictions.

Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said on Wednesday the heatwave was "a brutal reminder of the spiralling impacts of the climate crisis". Stiell said the "main culprit" was humanity's burning of coal, oil and gas. "Protecting human lives, businesses and economies from extreme heat and the many other soaring costs of climate change is core business for every nation, and it starts with kicking the fossil fuel addiction much faster," he said.

A temperature of 35.1C (95.2F) was recorded at Kew Gardens in London on Tuesday, breaking the 34.8C record set a day earlier, the UK's Met Office said. The readings easily surpassed a previous record of 32.8C set in 1922 and equalled in 1944. France recorded its hottest May day on Tuesday with a national heat index of 24.8C, surpassing Monday's 24.6C record. Météo-France said a "heat dome" — with heat held in place by a high-pressure weather front — was producing temperatures up to 13C higher than customary for the time of year. Seventeen of France's 96 administrative departments, including Paris, were placed on an orange high temperature alert for Thursday, the second highest level. French authorities reported at least seven deaths directly and indirectly linked to the high temperatures, including two during sporting events and five drownings as many people sought relief at swimming spots.

Peter Thorne, director of climate research at Maynooth University in Ireland, called the records "mind-bogglingly crazy". Ireland recorded a May high of 28.8C on Monday at two weather stations: Killarney in the southwest and Clonmel in the south. "To break the all-time May record by more than 2 degrees, a week out from the end of the month when we'd expect records to be set, is hard to comprehend," Thorne said.

In Spain, the state meteorological office Aemet issued an orange alert for the Basque Country with forecasts of 37C; temperatures of 36C to 38C were forecast for southern regions, with a high of 38C in the south-western city of Badajoz. Italy's Lazio region, which includes Rome, restricted outdoor work between 12:30pm and 4pm for sectors including farms, construction sites and logistics, with the rules applying until September 15. In Germany, officials in the western state of North Rhine-Westphalia urged residents to avoid sprinkling gardens or filling swimming pools to conserve water.

Europe has warmed around 2.4C above preindustrial levels, compared with around 1.4C globally, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service. Europe has been warming by 0.56C per decade over the last 30 years, more than twice the global average. Friederike Otto, professor of climate science at Imperial College London, described the UK heat as "absolutely astonishing". The UK's all-time temperature record stands at 40.3C, set in July 2022.