Satellite Images Show Europe's Landscapes Scorched by Summer Heatwaves

Visible Impact of Extreme Heat

Satellite images examined by BBC Verify illustrate the severe effects of successive heatwaves across Western Europe since May. These images show significant environmental changes, including glaciers that have shrunk, areas scorched by wildfires, green fields that have turned brown and arid, and notably lower river levels across the continent.

Record Temperatures Confirmed

The EU's climate monitoring service, Copernicus, has confirmed that Western Europe experienced its hottest June-to-July period on record. The immediate cause of these heatwaves was persistent high-pressure weather systems, leading to clear skies and rising temperatures. Climate change, primarily driven by the burning of fossil fuels, has been increasing average temperatures for decades, making such hot spells more likely and intense.

Rivers Running Drier

The Danube, Europe's second-longest river, has seen its water levels drop to a 30-year low in several countries. This has led to unusual discoveries on the riverbed, such as mammoth bones in Bulgaria and a sunken World War II warship in Serbia. In Hungary and Romania, nuclear power stations have been forced to reduce capacity or shut down due to insufficient river water for cooling. On the Rhine, cargo vessels have been stranded and river cruises cancelled.

Retreating Alpine Glaciers

The Alps have also been significantly affected by the heat. This summer is projected to be one of the worst on record for melting Alpine glaciers. Satellite imagery indicates that the front of the Rhône Glacier in Switzerland has retreated by 50 meters or more since the previous year. Dr. Lander van Tricht, a glaciologist, noted that recent years have seen much less snow in winter and significantly more melt due to climate change.