World will have to learn to live with heatwaves, UN says

Humans will have to learn to live with more frequent and intense heatwaves as a result of climate change, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) spokesperson Clare Nullis said on Tuesday.

This warning from the United Nations comes as extreme heat is currently gripping Europe. 

“We are currently under the influence of a strong high-pressure system; this is trapping hot air from northern Africa over the region. And as we can see, it's having a pretty big impact on the way we feel", the WMO representative told reporters in a press briefing.

Temperatures in the Spanish town of El Granado reached 46°C last week, a record number for the month of June. Nearly 1,350 schools were closed in France on Tuesday. 

The extreme heat also raises wildfire risks. In Greece, a large fire broke out near Athens in late June, forcing evacuations. Another one erupted on the Chios island.

“The frequency and intensity of extreme heat events is increasing in Europe and by 2050, about half the European population may be exposed to high or very high risk of heat stress during summer", Nullis said.

Health warnings remain in effect across Europe. The current heatwave has already claimed at least 8 lives in Spain, Italy and France. 

Two people died in a wildfire in Spain's Catalonia region. A two-year-old child was also found dead in a car in the northeast of the country.

In Italy, a construction worker died near Bologna on Monday after spending hours working in the sun.

“Everybody is at risk", Nullis said. “If you go out without water in the middle of the day, to do jogging, have a bike ride, you will probably have health problems or even die.”

More than 175,000 people die from heat-related causes each year in Europe, according to UN data.  Climate experts warn that future summers are likely to be hotter than any recorded to date. 

The UN Secretary-General António Guterres called last year for global action on extreme heat. 

"Extreme heat is having an extreme impact on people and planet. The world must rise to the challenge of rising temperatures", he said.