Western Europe Records Hottest June in History... "4,700 Excess Deaths"

Western Europe experienced its hottest June on record after suffering through a deadly heatwave last month, Reuters reported.

According to a monthly report released on July 9 (local time) by the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the European Union's climate monitoring agency, the average temperature in Western Europe last month was 20.74°C (69°F).

This is more than 3°C (5°F) higher than the 30-year average from 1991 to 2020, marking the highest temperature for June since records began.

The previous record for the highest average temperature in Western Europe for June was 20.49°C (69°F) set last year.

With the record for average June temperatures being broken for two consecutive years, there is growing concern that such heatwaves in Western Europe may be becoming the new normal.

The Copernicus Climate Change Service defines Western Europe as land between 37 and 55 degrees north latitude and 11 degrees west to 15 degrees east longitude, which includes parts of Portugal, Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Austria.

Various parts of Western Europe suffered from an extreme heatwave for over a week, from June 20 to 28.

During this period, temperatures in countries including France, the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany soared past 40°C (104°F).

This led to disruptions in power supplies, and schools lacking adequate cooling facilities were forced to close.

The heatwave was also identified as a major cause of wildfires that spread in Spain and France, as well as the worsening drought during that period.

Deaths related to the heatwave also occurred in rapid succession.

The number of excess deaths reported in France, Belgium, Spain, and the Netherlands during the heatwave last month reached a total of 4,700.

It is estimated that the number of deaths caused by the heatwave is significantly higher when other Western European countries are included.

Samantha Burgess, Deputy Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, warned, "Last month clearly demonstrated how fundamentally the global climate is changing," adding, "Heatwaves are becoming more intense, oceans are consistently warming, and the risks faced by people, ecosystems, and infrastructure in Europe and beyond are increasing."

The Copernicus Climate Change Service also explained that global sea surface temperatures reached their highest level for any June on record, which was influenced by a strong El Nino phenomenon that developed in the Pacific Ocean.

However, Reuters reported that while El Nino had little impact on Europe's heatwave last month, post-event studies have confirmed that climate change played a clear role in exacerbating the heat.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.