Climate crisis
News and analysis of the climate crisis.
MAP: France's 7 'cool refuges' as the summers heat up
With France experiencing hotter summers and more heatwaves, interest is growing in the coolest areas of the country to either move to or stay in over the summer - and now a group of experts have listed seven 'cool refuges'.
Heat forces French Champagne makers to increase alcohol content
Drinking 2026 Champagne might give you a heftier headache as France's record heatwaves are forcing some producers to up the alcohol levels, industry officials said on Wednesday.
Scorching summer pushes French wine harvest to new historic low
French wine production this year is expected to fall 6 percent from 2025 after a summer of unprecedented heatwaves and drought, the agriculture ministry said on Monday, predicting the most paltry harvest for some 70 years.
Climate crisis: How the supersized El Niño could hit Europe
With Europe already seeing record-breaking temperatures and extreme weather episodes the summer, here's how meteorologists say the supersized El Niño phenomenon could hit the continent's climate in the coming months.
France unveils €1bn farm aid package after climate-hit summer
France announced more than €1billion in emergency support for farmers after an unprecedented summer of heatwaves, wildfires and drought, but agricultural groups said the package falls short.
Will the European Union take up the climate fight after brutal heatwaves?
Is climate change set for a comeback as a top EU priority, after a deadly summer of record-breaking heatwaves across Europe?
Summer 2026 was France's 'hottest ever', minister confirms
France experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026, marked by heatwaves, drought and massive wildfires, the environment minister said on Thursday.
France to relax cheese-making rules due to record heatwaves and drought
Widespread drought and record-breaking heatwaves have forced France to relax some of its famously strict rules on cheese production, with authorities announcing on Wednesday special measures for abondance, beaufort and comté.
OUTLOOK: Is France set for yet another heatwave this September?
After a summer of repeated high temperatures, France could be facing another spell of hot weather in early September. Could this qualify as a sixth heatwave?
Too hot to incubate: Nile crocodiles hatch on their own in French reserve
France's heatwaves have produced an unusual outcome at a wildlife park, where 10 Nile crocodiles hatched without human assistance for the first time, the director of the reserve said on Wednesday.
Analysis: Can France's part-time firefighter system cope with increasingly severe wildfires?
Around 200,000 people volunteer as firefighters in France, making up nearly 80 percent of the country's fire service. But as the country faces increasingly severe wildfires, the system is coming under strain.
'We're heading for catastrophe': The summer climate change hit Europe
For generations, summer in Europe has been languid and dreamy, bringing fine weather and lengthy days on sunny beaches and terraces. But in 2026, the brutal reality of climate change forced its way into daily life.
Heatwave-hit Europe logs over 30,000 excess summer deaths
Europe saw at least 30,000 excess deaths across a blistering summer of back-to-back heatwaves and drought which scientists have blamed on man-made climate change, according to provisional figures.
OPINION: Drought will plunge France into a food prices crisis
Looking out from my garden in the Norman hills, I can see a corner of a Europe-wide catastrophe unfold - writes John Lichfield. My village resembles the Oklahoma dust bowl circa 1936.
More than 7,300 excess deaths in France's historically hot summer so far
France saw more than 7,300 excess deaths during heatwaves so far this year, health authorities said Wednesday, as the country has also endured a record number of hot days since mid-June, according to an AFP analysis.
'47 days without rain' - French drought intensifies
France's drought is intensifying with severe water restrictions and even northern towns like Dunkirk recording weeks without a single drop of rain.
LATEST: Maps of all the water restrictions in place in France
Between August 2024 and August 2026, mainland France has lost much of its green colour when seen from space.
Is it safe to drink tap water in France during heatwaves?
Throughout France’s five heatwaves this summer, tap water has sometimes been coming out of faucets surprisingly warm. Is it still safe to drink?
In Numbers: How many people have been arrested over French wildfires?
France's 2026 wildfire season has already broken records, with vast areas destroyed by flames and more than 200,000 people evacuated - it has also seen hundreds arrested on suspicion of starting fires.
LATEST: Europe's battle with wildfires continues
Countries across Europe on Sunday continued to battle wildfires amid blistering temperatures and tinder-dry landscapes.
Europe battles new wave of wildfires
Countries across Europe on Saturday battled wildfires amid blistering temperatures and tinder-dry landscapes, with thousands of people evacuated.
MAPS: Where are all the wildfires and warnings in France right now?
Another major fire has broken out in south-west France, while the whole country has been placed on alert for more blazes - here's the latest on the situation.
More than 150 million in Europe face temperatures over 35C on Friday
Millions of people across Europe -- particularly in France, Italy, Spain and Britain -- baked through a new wave of extreme temperatures Thursday as the continent's latest heatwave picked up.