UN Climate Chief Links Europe Heatwave to Fossil Fuels

Western Europe has been hit by an unusually early heatwave, prompting warnings from the United Nations that the soaring temperatures are another sign of the worsening climate crisis.

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The comments came after both France and the UK recorded their hottest May temperatures on consecutive days, with forecasters warning that the intense conditions could continue across parts of the continent.

Climate warning

Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, said the extreme heat was being driven by the continued use of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.

He described the conditions as “a brutal reminder of the spiralling impacts of the climate crisis” and said scientific evidence clearly showed that human-caused climate change was making heatwaves more frequent and more severe.

Stiell said governments needed to accelerate the shift away from fossil fuels in order to protect lives, economies and infrastructure from worsening weather extremes.

He also linked the issue to wider geopolitical instability, saying conflict in the Middle East had exposed the economic risks associated with dependence on fossil fuels. He pointed as well to India, where temperatures above 43C have been linked to reported heatstroke deaths.

Record temperatures across Europe

The UK recorded a temperature of 35.1C at Kew Gardens in London on Tuesday, according to the Met Office. The figure broke the previous May record of 34.8C that had been set only a day earlier.

The latest reading also exceeded the long-standing May record of 32.8C, first recorded in 1922 and matched in 1944.

France also experienced record-breaking heat. The country’s national heat index reached 24.8C on Tuesday, surpassing Monday’s record-setting 24.6C.

Temperatures in some French regions were expected to climb as high as 39C on Wednesday, levels more commonly associated with the height of summer.

Météo-France said a “heat dome” caused by a high-pressure weather system was trapping hot air over the country, creating temperatures up to 13C above seasonal norms.

Seventeen French departments, including Paris, were placed on orange heat alert for Thursday, while another 29 areas remained under yellow warnings.

Scientists raise concerns

Climate researchers said the latest conditions reflected a broader pattern of increasingly intense and earlier heatwaves linked to global warming.

Peter Thorne, director of climate research at Maynooth University in Ireland, said there was no doubt that greenhouse gas emissions were increasing both the likelihood and severity of such events.

Ireland also experienced unusually high temperatures, with a May record of 28.8C recorded on Monday.

Thorne described some of the temperature records being set in France and the UK as “mind-bogglingly crazy”.

Deaths and safety warnings

French authorities reported at least seven deaths connected directly or indirectly to the heat. Two people died while taking part in sporting events, while five others drowned as people sought relief from the temperatures at swimming areas.

In Britain, officials said four teenagers had drowned in England since Sunday.

Spain was also facing intense heat, with temperatures forecast to reach 40C in some regions later this week.

An orange weather alert was issued for the Basque Country, where temperatures were expected to reach 37C. Southern parts of Spain were forecast to see temperatures between 36C and 38C, including 38C in the south-western city of Badajoz.

Spain’s meteorological agency, Aemet, said the temperatures resembled conditions usually seen in July, describing the heat as more typical of the hottest period of summer.

Aemet spokesperson Rubén del Campo said the heatwave and the weather patterns behind it were consistent with trends linked to climate change observed in recent years.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 28 May 2026