Millions of people across Europe -- particularly in France, Italy, Spain and Britain -- baked through a new wave of extreme temperatures Thursday as the continent's latest heatwave picked up.
Temperatures are set to surpass 30C for around three out of five European residents (excluding Turkey) -- amounting to around 350 million people, according to an analysis based on German weather service forecasts and 2025 population projections from the Joint Research Centre, with results consistent with the Austrian NGO Klimadashboard.
Europe is the fastest-warming continent and in some places is ill-equipped to deal with hot weather.
Scientists have shown that recurring heatwaves are a clear marker of global warming, primarily caused by burning coal, oil and gas -- and warn they are set to become more frequent, longer and more intense.
Repeat heatwaves and drought have fuelled a historically hot summer of wildfires, and contributed to the deaths of thousands of people.
