Over 47,000 died in Europe last year from heat

By Sharon Kimathi, Energy and ESG Editor, Reuters Digital

Hello,

It’s yet another episode of ‘when summer sun isn’t fun’ on today’s newsletter as a report shows that tens of thousands of people died in Europe due to last year’s extreme heat, while firefighters battle wildfires in Greece.

More than 47,000 people died in Europe due to scorching temperatures in 2023, with countries in the south hit the hardest, according to a recent report by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal)..

Last year was the world’s hottest on record. As climate change continues to increase temperatures, Europeans live on the world’s fastest-warming continent, facing growing health risks stemming from intense heat.

The 2023 death toll – below the more than 60,000 heat-related deaths estimated for the previous year – would have been 80% higher without measures introduced in the past 20 years to help people adapt to rising temperatures, such as early warning systems and healthcare improvements, according to the report by the Spanish research center.

Also on my radar today:

A factory yard is seen in flames as a wildfire burns in Vrilissia near Athens, Greece. REUTERS/Alexandros Avramidis

Greece’s worst wildfire of the year killed one woman and continued to burn on the outskirts of the capital Athens on Tuesday, although lighter winds and firefighting efforts helped reduce its intensity, authorities said.

Hundreds of firefighters backed by six waterbombing aircraft battled the blaze that broke out on Sunday near the village of Varnavas 35 km (20 miles) north of Athens.

Stoked by gale-force winds, the blaze leapt from a wooded, hilly area into the suburbs on Monday, torching homes and stirring panic in neighborhoods that had not seen such a fire so close to the center in decades.

It reached Vrilissia, around 14 km (8 miles) from central Athens, a day ago, where a 64-year-woman was found dead inside a factory, witnesses said on Tuesday.

The cause of the wildfire was not yet determined.

Residents fled their homes on Sunday as a fast-moving wildfire outside Athens fuelled by hot, windy weather burned trees, houses and cars and sent smoke clouds over the Greek capital.

More than 400 firefighters backed by 16 water bombing planes and 13 helicopters battled the blaze that broke out at 3 p.m. (midday GMT) and quickly reached the village of Varnavas 35 km (20 miles) north of Athens.

As night fell, firefighting aircraft ceased operations until morning. Flames turned the sky orange.

“The situation remains dangerous as the fire is spreading between residences,” fire brigade spokesperson Vassilis Vathrakogiannis said.

He said the blaze spread “like lightning” because of gale force winds. Flames as high as 25 m swallowed up trees and shrubland.

Varnavas is a sparsely populated area with about 1,800 residents, according to the latest census.

Hundreds of wildfires have broken out across Greece since May and scientists attribute their frequency and intensity to the increasingly hot and dry weather conditions linked to climate change.

After its warmest winter on record and long periods of little or no rainfall, Greece also registered its hottest June and July and is forecast to record its hottest-ever summer.

A cyclist cools off at a fountain at Madrid Rio park during the second day of the heatwave, in Madrid, Spain.  REUTERS/Ana Beltran

India plans to scale up fracking operations which could spell disaster for the country’s finely balanced water security, according to research from the University of Surrey. Shashi Kant Yadav, lead author of the study shares his thoughts about their findings:

“Our research concludes with a stark warning: India must reassess the commercial scaling of fracking operations and conduct a thorough scientific inquiry into the potential impacts on water resources.

“Furthermore, our study calls for a re-examination of both federal and state-level regulations to ensure comprehensive coverage of all fracking-specific water  issues. 

“This study is a wake-up call for policymakers.

“The potential for a significant environmental crisis is real and imminent if proactive steps are not taken. As India marches towards its energy goals, the balance between energy security and water security must not be overlooked.” 

Bangladesh’s electricity demand grew 7% over three weeks of deadly nationwide protests that disrupted industrial and commercial activity, data showed, as households cranked up air-conditioners to cool down amid searing heat.

Protests against quotas in government jobs led to widespread disruptions in economic activity from July 16, and longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fled the country on Aug. 6.

A person takes pictures of the new artwork of a cat, by the British artist Banksy, on Edgware Road, in London, Britain. REUTERS/Maja Smiejkowska

Today’s spotlight centers on the mysterious street artist Banksy spreading his art around the capital.

A goat, a rhino, two elephants, three monkeys, one wolf and my personal favorite, the stretching cat.

Six Banksy murals which have appeared in London this week have left many pondering the meaning behind the elusive street artist’s latest work.

It began with the mountain goat on Monday, appearing to be perched on a ledge with rocks falling off and depicted in Banksy’s signature stencil style on a wall in Richmond, west London.

Next came two elephant heads, peering out of two blocked out windows on the side of a house in affluent Chelsea, followed by three monkeys which appear to be hanging from a railway bridge near east London’s Brick Lane.

Click here to see more of what Banksy has in store. 

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