Europe's heat waves

Europas värmeböljor

Illustration image. TT 

 

Europe's heat waves  

Germany's health summit wants siesta: "Not a bad proposal"  

 

Germans, just like southern Europeans, may need to take a siesta during the hottest hours of the day. This is the opinion of the country's head of public health, Johannes Niessen, who suggests that employers should offer their employees to take a nap in the summer, writes Deutsche Welle. 

 

Those who work from home can also take the opportunity to take a cold foot bath under the desk, says Niessen. 

 

Locally, almost 39 degrees have been recorded in Germany recently and Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is positive about introducing the siesta.  

 

"Siesta in the heat is really not a bad suggestion," he writes on Twitter.  

 

 

The Vatican, July 18. Gregorio Borgia / AP  

 

Climate threat Europe's heat waves  

Extreme heat in several places - the European record failed  

 

Several local record temperatures were measured on Tuesday in the heat wave that hit parts of the world, including Southern Europe, several media reports.  

 

However, it was not a new heat record in Europe. According to The Guardian, about 41 degrees were recorded in Sicily and 45 degrees on the Italian island of Sardinia, a bit short of the previous European record of 48.8 degrees. Earlier forecasts spoke of up to 48 degrees. 

 

Rome saw a new record of 41.8 degrees, compared to the previous record of 40.7 degrees. At the same time, Reuters writes about another record. With Tuesday's heat, it has been over 43 degrees in Phoenix in the US state of Arizona for 19 days in a row.  

 

Low tide in the Sau reservoir north of Barcelona. Emilio Morenatti / AP  

 

Political situation in Spain  

The water issue was hot before the election in drought-stricken Spain 

 

The summer's severe drought and many heat waves have meant that the water issue has become important ahead of the new Spanish election this weekend, writes AFP. The far-right Vox, which looks to be able to sit in a possible government together with the conservative PP, has gone to the polls to "end the climate fanaticism" and to take Spain out of the Paris Agreement.  

 

They have also promised to increase farmers' access to irrigation.  

 

The policy receives harsh criticism from the left. The criticism concerns, among other things, that more water for agriculture comes at the expense of important nature and wetland areas. 

 

- They want to lead us into a dead end by promising water when there is none, says Hugo Abad Frias, candidate for the left-wing alliance Sumar.