A rare warning is in place. For the first time, the UK has released a red weather warning for extreme heat. Scorching amidst its earliest and hottest heatwaves in record, Europe is now at the forefront of climate change-instigated calamity.

But, what is driving the unseasonably brutal heat in sweltering Europe? And exactly, how dire is the situation? Here’s an explainer:

Blazing Wildfires in the Iberian Peninsula
A spade of wildfires is scorching parts of Europe, with firefighters battling the blazing fires in France, Portugal, Spain, and Croatia. In addition, the fires are driving record-high temperatures in the Iberian Peninsula, shooting up as high as 46 degrees Celcius.

Almost half of droughted Portugal is currently under red alerts, a grave fire risk. And mass evacuations depict the severity of the blazes. Fire authorities are at work but stretched thin, with many arriving too late.

On Croatia’s dalmatian coast, picturesque seaside towns are smothered in smoke. Flames fueled by high winds have already destroyed substantial homes and farms. Whereas, Spain is amidst its second suffocating heatwave in less than a month.

Europe’s Extreme Heatwave: The Warning
With the climate change calamities reaching the wealthy nations, the issue has become inescapable. However, despite the devastations, countries are forging new fossil-fuel projects to further deteriorate the already dire Global Warming.

No doubt, the Russia-Ukraine war has created a huge energy void. However, as gas-hungry Europe revives coal plants in the bid to suffice its energy demands, it is also complicating its climate ambitions.

But, Europe is not alone. Countries are witnessing scorching heatwaves across borders, and the blistering heat this summer shows just what is at stake. Read More