Europe hit by temperatures of up to 41 degrees Celsius, France to Spain take emergency measures

JAKARTA - Extreme heat waves have hit a number of European countries with temperatures approaching record highs. France imposed restrictions on alcohol consumption, Germany issued a national weather warning, and Spain closed the World Cup viewing area for safety reasons.

France estimates that 35 of its 96 administrative regions are in a red heat wave alert status on Sunday, June 21. Air temperatures are expected to reach 39 to 40 degrees Celsius and in some areas potentially reach 41 degrees Celsius.

After holding a crisis meeting, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu decided to ban alcohol consumption at a number of public events, including the annual Fête de la Musique festival, in the most severely affected areas.

On the other hand, the Paris City Government opened the city parks for 24 hours so that the public has access to cooler open spaces to reduce the health risks due to high temperatures.

Meanwhile, Germany is also in a state of heat alert. Most of the country's territory is expected to experience temperatures of up to 38 degrees Celsius. The German Weather Service (DWD) warns that the combination of high temperatures and air humidity can trigger severe thunderstorms in a number of areas.

The heat wave also disrupted people's activities and the tourism sector in Italy. In Rome, temperatures are expected to reach 36 to 37 degrees Celsius, forcing tourists to queue in the hot sun when visiting the Colosseum and other historic sites.

Some visitors choose to seek shelter in the underground area around the ruins of the Claudius Temple, which offers cooler temperatures than the surface.

In Bologna, one of the hottest cities in northern Italy, residents were seen washing their faces at the Neptune Fountain built in the 16th century and sheltering under the city's alleys that are typical of the area.

Spain also took special steps by closing the fan zone area equipped with giant screens at the Plaza de Colón, Madrid. As a result, football fans had to find alternative locations to watch the 2026 World Cup match between Spain and Saudi Arabia.

Ironically, the match was held at an air-conditioned stadium in Atlanta, United States, whose energy needs were partly supplied by solar panels.

Scientists assess that the increasingly frequent heat waves in Europe are one of the real impacts of global climate change. This condition not only increases the risk of public health, but also disrupts economic and social activities during the summer.

This phenomenon also occurs simultaneously with the strengthening of El Nino 2026-2027 which is expected to develop into one of the strongest in modern history. The combination of global warming and El Nino has the potential to push the world's average temperature to higher levels, thereby increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat waves in various regions, including Europe.

Governor of the French Central Bank Emmanuel Moulin said the short-term impact of the heat wave on the economy was still difficult to measure because on the one hand it suppressed productivity, but on the other hand it increased energy consumption.

However, in the medium to long term, he reminded that increasingly frequent extreme weather has the potential to hinder economic growth and add pressure to productive sectors in Europe.