Long-awaited Summer Heat Sweeps Across Europe – But UN 'Climate Chief' Raises Alarm Over 'Brutal' Climate Crisis

As much of Western Europe now enjoys midsummer heat, sunshine, and bathing temperatures, the UN’s ‘climate chief’ issues new warnings about the alleged climate crisis. As evidence, several heat-related deaths are reported – something that, according to authorities, is normal for the season and mostly involves elderly, ill, and/or very frail individuals.

The recent heatwave has brought high temperatures to several European countries. The UK, among others, recorded its warmest May day ever, while France, Spain, and Portugal have experienced temperatures a few degrees above the seasonal average.

But while many Europeans welcome the summer weather, the UN’s ‘climate chief’ Simon Stiell describes the heat as a ‘brutal reminder’ of the alleged climate crisis, according to Politico.

Links the Heat to Fossil Fuels

In a statement, Stiell claims the heatwave is a result of human use of coal, oil, and gas, as well as deforestation. He also asserts that what he calls ‘extreme heat’ has unspecified human and economic consequences.

The UN chief further argues that Europe is now experiencing the effects of what he describes as climate-driven warming and urges governments to abandon fossil fuels more quickly. Some researchers and climate commentators make similar claims that heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense as a result of human impact on the climate.

Such demands are also being made of Swedish politicians. At the same time, figures show that Sweden has almost net zero emissions of carbon dioxide equivalents when forest uptake and other so-called carbon sinks are included.

A Handful of Deaths Reported

French authorities report that seven people have died directly or indirectly in connection with the heat. According to the government spokesperson, several of these cases involve drowning accidents or deaths during strenuous physical activity during the hottest hours of the day.

Claims with numbers of heat-related deaths frequently appear in media climate reporting. Samnytt has on several occasions tried to obtain statistics on death certificates where heat is explicitly stated as the cause of death, but without success.

Midsummer day in Södermalm, Stockholm. Photo: Let Ideas Compete.

It is also well known that high summer temperatures primarily affect the very old, ill, and physically weak. This has recurred during hot periods every summer, but only in recent years has it been claimed to have climate-related, instead of weather-related, causes.

Warnings and Water Restrictions

Authorities across Western Europe have issued various heat warnings and advisories. In France, several regions have been placed at orange level, the country’s second highest alert.

In the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, residents are urged to avoid watering gardens and filling pools to conserve water reserves. The state’s environment minister speculates that longer periods of heat and drought may become more common in the future.

In Portugal, authorities express concern about an increased risk of forest fires in the tourist region Algarve, while some residents on the Iberian Peninsula reportedly have difficulty sleeping when nighttime temperatures remain above 20 degrees Celsius.

Temporarily High Temperatures in the UK and Ireland

The UK has also experienced unusually high temperatures. In London, 35.1 degrees was recorded on Tuesday, easily breaking previous May records. However, this involved a single day. High temperatures have also been reported in Ireland.

Meteorologists believe, however, that the heatwave will subside over the weekend, with significantly cooler temperatures expected in much of Europe.