The intense heat recorded in several European countries in recent weeks has generated picturesque scenes, such as people swimming at dawn in the River Seine, sleeping in squares in Paris and the use of crowd dispersal trucks by the police in Berlin, Germany, refreshing people in front of the Brandenburg Gate. But behind the curious images is a problem that not even rich Europe can escape: the climate crisis, in practice, is also a crisis of social inequality.
Extreme heat exposes inequalities, including in developed countries
The intense heat recorded in several European countries in recent weeks has generated picturesque scenes, such as people swimming at dawn in the River Seine, sleeping in squares in Paris and the use of crowd dispersal...
The Guardian addresses how this inequality is intensifying the negative impacts of extreme weather among Europeans. On a continent where air conditioning has never been a basic necessity in homes, few homes are prepared to withstand high temperatures. Those with more money can get some relief, like a hotel room with air conditioning. The dispossessed have little to do but endure the increasingly unbearable heat. In other words: like this there, like here.
In England, this inequality in access to a fresh home is more brutal. According to Rory Jones, from the University of Reading, only 4.3% of English homes have air conditioners. The costs of purchasing, maintaining and using energy for devices are generating a clear social separation: those who have more money have more thermal comfort.
"Families with higher incomes are more than twice as likely to own air conditioning compared to those with lower incomes. Installing and maintaining air conditioning is expensive, making it much more affordable for wealthier families," highlighted Rory Jones, in an article on The Conversation.
This division is also perceived outside the homes. The poorest people, who work most of the time outdoors, suffer from the inclement sun and have few opportunities for relief from the heat. Public transport even allows for some shade, but its structures that are poorly prepared for temperatures above 30oC end up turning trains and buses into ovens.
“Not all of us are equally exposed, just as not all of us are equally responsible,” recalled Mael Ginsburger, from Paris Cité University, on Al-Jazeera. “Not everyone has the same ability to adapt, and there are certain groups that face multiple vulnerabilities linked to health problems, for example.”
Source:
ClimaInfo
