France 'best prepared' in Europe for heatwaves, while UK views heat as 'occasional inconvenience'

Nadia Massih is pleased to welcome Ian Williams, Professor of Applied Environmental Science in the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Southampton, UK. He argues that Europe's current heatwave should not be understood as an exceptional weather event but as evidence of a new climatic reality shaped by anthropogenic warming. While acknowledging that adaptation measures can significantly reduce mortality and social disruption, he maintains that increasingly intense heat extremes are ultimately driven by the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Williams presents France as a notable case study in climate adaptation, citing its post-2003 reforms as among the most comprehensive heat governance frameworks in Europe. However, he also stresses that even the best-prepared societies face mounting challenges as climate change amplifies the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events. #Heatwaves #France #UK 🔔 Subscribe to France 24 now: https://f24.my/YTen 🔴 LIVE - Watch FRANCE 24 English 24/7 here: https://f24.my/YTliveEN 🌍 Read the latest International News and Top Stories: https://www.france24.com/en/ Like us on Facebook: https://f24.my/FBen Follow us on X: https://f24.my/Xen Bluesky: https://f24.my/BSen and Threads: https://f24.my/THen Browse the news in pictures on Instagram: https://f24.my/IGen Discover our TikTok videos: https://f24.my/TKen Get the latest top stories on Telegram: https://f24.my/TGen