France is currently facing heat emergency. The heat that prevails on the streets of Paris has never been seen in the last 147 years of history (1872-2019). This week, Paris has seen more days with temperatures above 40°C than in the last 150 years. The mercury reached 44.3°C in Pisos, while the national average temperature across France was recorded at 29.8°C, breaking all previous records. Red heat alert continues in more than half of France. More than 40 people have died due to the heat, while incidents of drowning while seeking relief in rivers and lakes have also increased rapidly.
Why did France suddenly become a heat-chamber?
The biggest reason behind this terrible heat in France is the heat dome. In meteorology it is called a high-pressure blocking system. When a strong high pressure zone forms in the upper levels of the atmosphere, it acts like a lid. It captures the hot air in a confined space and does not allow it to come out. This hot air presses downwards. As the air descends, its density increases and it becomes hotter. This dome remained over France for several days, due to which the temperature kept setting new records every day.
Why does summer feel more dangerous in Europe?
Summer in Europe is more troublesome not only because of the temperature but also due to many other reasons.
- Design of European houses: Unlike Indian houses, European houses have thick walls and better insulation, which trap heat in winter but do not allow the heat inside the house to escape in summer. Like India, there is less movement of natural air here.
- Lack of AC: Air conditioning is not very common in Europe, due to which people are left with no means of relief in the scorching heat.
- Urban Heat Islands Effect: Concrete buildings and roads in cities absorb heat throughout the day and do not allow the temperature to normalize even at night.
- Humidity: When there is high humidity along with heat, the sweat of the body does not dry quickly, due to which the body is not able to cool down and the heat is felt more.
Climate change: now becoming normal
Scientists at the World Weather Attribution (WWA) say a heat wave as severe as that in France in 1976 was almost impossible. Even if a similar heatwave had occurred at that time, the temperature would have been about 3.5 degrees Celsius lower than today. This means that climate change has significantly increased the intensity of heat.
Another big concern are tropical nights. That is, such nights, when the temperature remains very high and the heat does not reduce even at night. Now such hot nights have increased more than before. Due to strong sunlight during the day and high temperature even at night, the body does not get time to cool down and rest. This increases the risk of heat stroke, dehydration and heart related diseases.
Scientists have clearly said that human-caused climate change, not El Nino, is responsible for this extreme heat. Due to continuous use of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas, greenhouse gases are increasing in the atmosphere, due to which the earth is warming rapidly. Europe is warming almost twice as fast as the world average.
What is the solution to this?
This example of France is a warning to the world. Scientists have warned that if we do not rapidly reduce the use of fossil fuels, such incidents will become longer and more deadly in the future. France, which is located on one of the fastest warming continents in the world, is no longer prepared for such conditions. It is most important to rapidly adopt cheap energy like solar and wind energy. There is also a need to protect forests, increase greenery, develop cities and infrastructure that can better withstand extreme heat and climate change. Experts believe that if concrete steps are not taken now, such dangerous heatwaves will become more common in the future.
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