It is hard not to see the effects of global warming behind this weather event, with global temperatures already having risen by an average of 1.3°C. For the past week, France has been facing an intense heatwave. This is unprecedented for this time of year. A dome of hot air from Morocco is hovering over Western Europe, pushing temperatures above 35°C in many towns and cities (17 departments are on orange alert). The heatwave is also accompanied by a worrying spike in ozone pollution. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu is organising an interministerial meeting this Thursday, 28 May, in an attempt to reassure the public, but many organisations are criticising the French government’s lack of preparedness, particularly regarding schools and housing, due to a lack of resources being deployed, at a time when global warming should be a top priority.

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