Latest news with #KathrynSmith
Observer
02-07-2025
- Climate
- Observer
France shuts schools as heatwave grips Europe
PARIS/MADRID: More than a thousand schools were closed in France on Tuesday and the top floor of the Eiffel Tower was shut to tourists as a severe heatwave continued to grip Europe, triggering health alerts across the region. The Mediterranean Sea was up to 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual for the time of year, hitting a record of as much as 30 C (86 F) in Spain's Balearic Sea as a heat dome trapped hot air above Europe, the country's Aemet weather forecaster said. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, making extreme heatwaves occur earlier in the year, and persist into later months. In France, the heat was set to peak on Tuesday, reaching 40-41 C in some areas and 36-39 C in most others, weather forecaster Meteo France said. Sixteen departments will be on the highest level of alert from noon, with 68 on the second highest. Some 1,350 schools will be fully or partially closed due to the heat, up significantly from around 200 on Monday, the Education Ministry said. The top floor of the Eiffel Tower will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, with visitors advised to drink plenty of water. The extreme heat also raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the European Union's biggest grain producer, start harvesting this year's crop. Some farmers were working through the night to avoid harvesting during peak temperatures in the afternoon. In the Indre region of central France, which has seen a spate of field fires since late June, authorities banned field work between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. HEALTH ALERTS The intense heat could harm biodiversity, some experts said. "In the past we have seen impacts like mass mortalities of invertebrate species, die-offs of seagrass beds and disease outbreaks in mussel farms. It's likely that we'll see similar impacts from this event," said scientist Kathryn Smith of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Health alerts have been issued across Europe, with residents and tourists alike seeking ways to keep cool. Extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually around the world, according to Swiss Re, which notes this exceeds the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. In a retirement home in Grimbergen, Belgium, residents passed a ball to each other in a paddling pool. "To me it's a great activity," said Marie-Jeanne Olbrechts, one of the residents. The DGG association for geriatric care in Germany said most regions of the country were not adequately prepared for a heatwave. "If they were, they could prevent tens of thousands of deaths in the future," said Clemens Becker, author of a study conducted on behalf of the DGG. Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a key cause of climate change, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record.
Dubai Eye
01-07-2025
- Climate
- Dubai Eye
France shuts schools as heatwave grips Europe
More than a thousand schools were closed in France on Tuesday and the top floor of the Eiffel Tower was shut to tourists as a severe heatwave continued to grip Europe, triggering health alerts across the region. The Mediterranean Sea was up to 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual for the time of year, hitting a record of as much as 30 C in Spain's Balearic Sea as a heat dome trapped hot air above Europe, the country's Aemet weather forecaster said. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, making extreme heatwaves occur earlier in the year, and persist into later months. In France, the heat was set to peak on Tuesday, reaching 40-41 C in some areas and 36-39 C in most others, weather forecaster Meteo France said. Sixteen departments will be on the highest level of alert from noon, with 68 on the second highest. Some 1,350 schools will be fully or partially closed due to the heat, up significantly from around 200 on Monday, the Education Ministry said. The top floor of the Eiffel Tower will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, with visitors advised to drink plenty of water. The extreme heat also raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the European Union's biggest grain producer, start harvesting this year's crop. Some farmers were working through the night to avoid harvesting during peak temperatures in the afternoon. In the Indre region of central France, which has seen a spate of field fires since late June, authorities banned field work between 2:00 pm and 6:00 pm. HEALTH ALERTS The intense heat could harm biodiversity, some experts said. "In the past we have seen impacts like mass mortalities of invertebrate species, die-offs of seagrass beds and disease outbreaks in mussel farms. It's likely that we'll see similar impacts from this event," said scientist Kathryn Smith of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Health alerts have been issued across Europe, with residents and tourists alike seeking ways to keep cool. Extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually around the world, according to Swiss Re, which notes this exceeds the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. In a retirement home in Grimbergen, Belgium, residents passed a ball to each other in a paddling pool. "To me it's a great activity," said Marie-Jeanne Olbrechts, one of the residents. The DGG association for geriatric care in Germany said most regions of the country were not adequately prepared for a heatwave. "If they were, they could prevent tens of thousands of deaths in the future," said Clemens Becker, author of a study conducted on behalf of the DGG. Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a key cause of climate change, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record.
NDTV
01-07-2025
- Climate
- NDTV
France Shuts Schools, Top Floor Of Eiffel Tower, As Heatwave Grips Europe
France/Spain: More than a thousand schools were closed in France on Tuesday and the top floor of the Eiffel Tower was shut to tourists as a severe heatwave continued to grip Europe, triggering health alerts across the region. The Mediterranean Sea was up to 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual for the time of year, hitting a record of as much as 30 C (86 F) in Spain's Balearic Sea as a heat dome trapped hot air above Europe, the country's Aemet weather forecaster said. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, making extreme heatwaves occur earlier in the year, and persist into later months. In France, the heat was set to peak on Tuesday, reaching 40-41 C in some areas and 36-39 C in most others, weather forecaster Meteo France said. Sixteen departments will be on the highest level of alert from noon, with 68 on the second highest. Some 1,350 schools will be fully or partially closed due to the heat, up significantly from around 200 on Monday, the Education Ministry said. The top floor of the Eiffel Tower will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, with visitors advised to drink plenty of water. The extreme heat also raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the European Union's biggest grain producer, start harvesting this year's crop. Some farmers were working through the night to avoid harvesting during peak temperatures in the afternoon. In the Indre region of central France, which has seen a spate of field fires since late June, authorities banned field work between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Health Alerts The intense heat could harm biodiversity, some experts said. "In the past we have seen impacts like mass mortalities of invertebrate species, die-offs of seagrass beds and disease outbreaks in mussel farms. It's likely that we'll see similar impacts from this event," said scientist Kathryn Smith of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Health alerts have been issued across Europe, with residents and tourists alike seeking ways to keep cool. Extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually around the world, according to Swiss Re, which notes this exceeds the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. In a retirement home in Grimbergen, Belgium, residents passed a ball to each other in a paddling pool. "To me it's a great activity," said Marie-Jeanne Olbrechts, one of the residents. The DGG association for geriatric care in Germany said most regions of the country were not adequately prepared for a heatwave. "If they were, they could prevent tens of thousands of deaths in the future," said Clemens Becker, author of a study conducted on behalf of the DGG. Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a key cause of climate change, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record.
Euronews
01-07-2025
- Science
- Euronews
Record heat in the Mediterranean Sea sparks fears for marine life
Sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean have reached their highest level ever recorded for June. On 29 June, sea surface temperatures hit 26.01°C, according to data collected by Copernicus and analysed by Météo-France. Overall temperatures are currently 3°C higher than average, with spikes exceeding 4°C in some places around the French and Spanish coasts. The most intense warming was observed in the western Mediterranean basin, including the Balearic Sea and the Tyrrhenian Sea. With the current weather conditions, scientists say temperatures are unlikely to drop anytime soon. The Mediterranean is considered one of the world's most vulnerable 'climate change hotspots', warming much faster than the global average. Without action to curb climate change, experts warn that persistent marine heatwaves - prolonged periods of abnormally high ocean temperatures - could change the region beyond recognition. Marine heatwaves could devastate life in the Mediterranean Sea A persistent and growing marine heatwave is gripping the region, with 'severe' and 'extreme' conditions emerging off southeastern Spain and northern Morocco. Marine scientists warn that the unfolding situation could bring devastating impacts for biodiversity, fisheries, aquaculture, and even weather patterns across southern Europe and North Africa. 'Marine heatwaves of this magnitude in the Mediterranean Sea have had major effects on marine life,' says Dr Kathryn Smith from the Marine Biological Association of the UK. 'In the past, we have seen impacts like mass mortalities of invertebrate species, die-offs of seagrass beds and disease outbreaks in mussel farms. It's likely that we'll see similar impacts from this event.' These events have already driven coral populations down by 90 per cent and pushed the noble fan mussel to the brink of extinction. Warmer waters hold less oxygen, leading to mass fish die-offs such as those seen in Tuscany in 2024. And, as fish dive deeper to escape the heat on the surface, they can't be reached by seabirds, which then die off in their masses, too. The ripple effects of marine heatwaves extend onto land, too. Warm seas fuel extreme weather, as seen during Storm Daniel in 2023 which killed nearly 6,000 people. It was made 50 times more likely and 50 per cent more intense by high sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean. Floods in Valencia in 2024, which claimed over 200 lives, have also been linked in part to high sea surface temperatures. Marine heatwaves are becoming more intense and lasting longer Marine heatwaves are now ten times more intense than in pre-industrial times and last three times as long. 'Climate change is responsible for the global increase in the frequency, duration and intensity of marine heatwaves,' says Dr Alistair Hobday, research director for the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation's (CSIRO) Sustainable Marine Futures Programme. The Mediterranean Sea has been steadily warming since the 1980s, with a sharp acceleration over the past decade. Over the last 40 years, it has gone from experiencing one marine heatwave per year in defined areas to an average of four per year, which cover almost the entire sea. Temperatures have been constantly above average for the past five years. 'The unfolding, wide-reaching heatwave in the western Mediterranean now demands close attention,' says Dr Karina von Schuckmann, a senior advisor at Mercator Ocean International. Scientists stress that only rapid global emission cuts can halt this trend. Without urgent action, this climate hotspot could be permanently transformed.
GMA Network
01-07-2025
- Climate
- GMA Network
Heatwave grips Europe: France shuts schools, sea off Spain at record high temps
The sun rises by the Eiffel Tower and the Sacre Coeur Basilica on top of the Montmartre hill in Paris on July 1, 2025, as the city is on red alert for high temperatures, with the top of the Eiffel Tower shut, polluting traffic banned and speed restrictions in place as a searing heatwave grips Europe. Thibaud Moritz/ AFP PARIS/MADRID — More than a thousand schools were closed in France on Tuesday and the top floor of the Eiffel Tower was shut to tourists as a severe heatwave continued to grip Europe, triggering health alerts across the region. The Mediterranean Sea was up to 6 degrees Celsius warmer than usual for the time of year, hitting a record of as much as 30°C (86°F) in Spain's Balearic Sea as a heat dome trapped hot air above Europe, the country's Aemet weather forecaster said. Europe is the world's fastest-warming continent, heating up at twice the global average, according to the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service, making extreme heatwaves occur earlier in the year, and persist into later months. In France, the heat was set to peak on Tuesday, reaching 40-41°C in some areas and 36-39°C in most others, weather forecaster Meteo France said. Sixteen departments will be on the highest level of alert from noon, with 68 on the second highest. Some 1,350 schools will be fully or partially closed due to the heat, up significantly from around 200 on Monday, the Education Ministry said. The top floor of the Eiffel Tower will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, with visitors advised to drink plenty of water. The extreme heat also raised the risk of field fires as farmers in France, the European Union's biggest grain producer, start harvesting this year's crop. Some farmers were working through the night to avoid harvesting during peak temperatures in the afternoon. In the Indre region of central France, which has seen a spate of field fires since late June, authorities banned field work between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. Health alerts The intense heat could harm biodiversity, some experts said. "In the past we have seen impacts like mass mortalities of invertebrate species, die-offs of seagrass beds and disease outbreaks in mussel farms. It's likely that we'll see similar impacts from this event," said scientist Kathryn Smith of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. Health alerts have been issued across Europe, with residents and tourists alike seeking ways to keep cool. Extreme heat kills up to 480,000 people annually around the world, according to Swiss Re, which notes this exceeds the combined toll from floods, earthquakes and hurricanes. In a retirement home in Grimbergen, Belgium, residents passed a ball to each other in a paddling pool. "To me it's a great activity," said Marie-Jeanne Olbrechts, one of the residents. The DGG association for geriatric care in Germany said most regions of the country were not adequately prepared for a heatwave. "If they were, they could prevent tens of thousands of deaths in the future," said Clemens Becker, author of a study conducted on behalf of the DGG. Scientists say greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels are a key cause of climate change, with deforestation and industrial practices being other contributing factors. Last year was the planet's hottest on record. — Reuters
