environment
Global warming may be speeding up, fears scientist Alarm at 'unusual' heatwaves across northern hemisphere
One of Europe's leading scientists yesterday raised the possibility that the extreme heatwave now settled over at least 30 countries in the northern hemisphere could signal that man-made climate change is accelerating. [more]
Nuclear plant hosed down as drought wreaks havoc - but wine growers eye vintage year
French forecasters yesterday warned there would be no imminent respite from the heatwave which has scorched the country for over a month.
Technicians were yesterday forced to spray water on the walls of a nuclear power plant in Fessenhiem, near Strasbourg, as temperatures at the building rose to 48.5C (119F), two degrees celsius below the point at which an emergency shutdown would be triggered. [more]
One man can take the heat off. Will he heed the global warning?
The temperature in central London yesterday reached 35.4C (95.7F) - the hottest on record - with Gravesend in Kent even hotter, at 35.9C (96.6F). Even in Glasgow it was in the 80s Fahrenheit, and the UK record of 37.1C (98.8F) could be broken on Saturday, forecasters said, as all across Europe the merciless sun roasts citizens, sets forests ablaze and makes rivers run dry.
But this heatwave is nothing compared to what global warming has in store, United Nations scientists say - and the international agreement to counter it is now hanging by a thread. Its name is Putin. [more] |