Context:

Europe is experiencing an unprecedented heatwave, with temperatures soaring above 40 degrees Celsius in several regions, leading to significant wildfires. France has reported record-breaking temperatures across multiple cities, while Croatia and other European countries are also experiencing extreme heat. Scientists attribute this intensification of extreme weather events to climate change, primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels. Europe is warming at twice the global average rate, influenced by its geography and changing weather patterns. In Spain, wildfires have prompted mass evacuations, and similar incidents are occurring across other parts of Europe and the world, including Iraq and Canada.

Dive Deeper:

• Record-breaking temperatures have swept across Europe, with France experiencing unprecedented heat in cities like Angoulême, Bergerac, and Bordeaux, reaching levels 12 degrees above normal. The heatwave is expected to spread across France, affecting center-east and northeast regions.

• Croatia has recorded temperatures of up to 39.5 degrees Celsius in Sibenik and 38.9 degrees Celsius in Dubrovnik. The extreme heat is part of a broader pattern of increasing frequency and intensity of heatwaves worldwide due to climate change.

• Climate change, driven by the burning of fossil fuels, is exacerbating extreme weather events. Europe, in particular, is warming at twice the speed of the global average since the 1980s, partly due to its geographic extension into the fast-warming Arctic region.

• Spain has seen significant wildfire activity, with a fire near Madrid resulting in one fatality and the evacuation of nearly 6,000 people. The heatwave in Spain is expected to push temperatures to around 44 degrees Celsius in some areas.

• Wildfires have also been reported across other European countries, including Portugal, Turkey, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, and the U.K., highlighting a broader regional crisis linked to the extreme heat conditions.

• In addition to Europe, other parts of the world, such as Canada and Iraq, have also experienced record-breaking temperatures. Iraq faced temperatures above 50 degrees Celsius, causing a nationwide power outage and plunging the country into darkness.

• The European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Service has noted that Europe's rapid warming is due to changing weather patterns, reduced air pollution, and its unique geography, making it more susceptible to the impacts of climate change.