PARIS: Last month, Western Europe experienced a scorching heatwave that led to the hottest June recorded, according to the EU climate monitor Copernicus, whose findings were published on Wednesday. As temperatures soared, the region endured back-to-back heatwaves that were characterized as 'extreme,' raising serious concerns about the ongoing impacts of climate change.

On a global scale, June 2023 marked the third warmest June ever recorded, perpetuating a concerning trend of rising temperatures in recent years. The increasing warmth is primarily attributed to human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases, which continue to contribute to the overall warming of our planet.

Historically, the previous record for the hottest June was set in 2024, followed closely by 2023. The Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) highlighted that Europe is facing heat extremes that are escalating significantly faster than the global average. This stark reality means millions of residents across the continent faced high heat stress, as daily average temperatures in Western Europe reached unprecedented levels, occurring unusually early in the summer.

Multiple countries recorded alarming surface temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius, with some areas in Spain and Portugal reporting staggering highs of up to 46 degrees Celsius. Samantha Burgess, the Strategic Lead for Climate at Copernicus, emphasized the 'exceptional' nature of the heatwaves in Europe, noting that they were exacerbated by record sea surface temperatures in the western Mediterranean, which reached an all-time daily maximum in June.

As Burgess remarked, 'In a warming world, heatwaves are likely to become more frequent, more intense, and will impact more people across Europe.' The two significant heatwaves spanned from June 17 to June 22 and again from June 30 to July 2, both attributed to heat domes trapping warm air over the affected areas. This phenomenon not only prolonged the oppressive weather but also worsened pollution levels and increased the risk of wildfires throughout the region.

Countries such as Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, and much of the Balkans reported some of the hottest 'feels-like' temperatures, which measure the physiological impact of heat on the human body by factoring in humidity. In some areas north of Lisbon, maximum feels-like temperatures soared to a staggering 48 degrees Celsius, approximately 7 degrees above the average, leading to what Copernicus described as 'extreme heat stress.'

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2025, these alarming findings serve as a wake-up call regarding the effects of climate change and the urgent need for action.