As heatwave grips Europe, Britain braces for record temperatures

World Today

As heatwave grips Europe, Britain braces for record temperatures

A drought is taking a toll on Europe – and it can be seen from space. A satellite shows how the land went from green to brown this month in Germany, Sweden and Denmark.

CGTN’s Richard Bestic reports on how this record-breaking heatwave is also scorching the U.K.

England’s famously green and pleasant lands have undergone a dramatic transformation this year, scorched by an unrelenting sun and a record breaking drought.

July 27, what people in the U.K. have dubbed ‘Furnace Friday’, could become the hottest July day in British history, beating the all-time record of 38.5 degrees Celsius (101 degrees Fahrenheit.)

As with everything in life, there are winners and losers. In London, a high air pollution alert was issued Wednesday, due to a toxic mix created by temperatures rivaling those in the hottest parts of Europe.

The heatwave is having an effect on Britain’s agricultural sector as well. Farmers warn of rising prices as crops wither in dry fields.

Roger Hobson, a farmer, complained that, “You can see the leaves dying, and without rain, soon this will be the end of the carrot.”

But vineyard owners are boasting a bumper crop of grapes and a vintage year for wine.

Weather watchers attribute the heatwave to the Jetstream pushing clouds far north over Iceland. Global warming could also be playing a part.

According to a UK Parliamentary committee, the current heatwave is set to become the new normal by the year 2040 due to climate change, and unless the government acts quickly, there could be 7,000 heat-related deaths every year by 2050.