John Niern, an advisor at the World Meteorological Organization, predicted that intense heat waves would continue in a large part of the world throughout August, following weeks of record temperatures. The organization forecasted this week that temperatures in North America, Asia, North Africa, and the Mediterranean would exceed 40 degrees Celsius for several days this week as the heat wave intensifies. Niern told Reuters, "We need to expect or at least prepare for the continuation of intense heat waves throughout August." He noted that climate change means an increased frequency and recurrence of heat waves across seasons. He added, "If we eliminate fossil fuels, we will reduce a major factor contributing to what we are currently experiencing," stressing that "we cannot change the situation quickly, but we can certainly take action."
Southern Europe is experiencing a record heat wave during the peak of the summer tourism season, prompting authorities to warn of increased risks of health problems and even death. The extreme heat has disrupted the lives of millions of Americans, while the Middle East is also facing high temperatures. Some countries, including EU member states, hope all nations will agree in upcoming United Nations climate talks later this year to phase out fossil fuel consumption contributing to climate change. This idea meets opposition from countries that have oil and gas resources.
