French official blames US for Europe's deadly heatwave
France accuses the US of helping fuel Europe's deadly heat (photo: Getty Images)
France believes that the United States is partly responsible for the record-breaking heatwave sweeping across Europe, The Telegraph reports.
This statement came after a wave of ridicule from Americans over the lack of air conditioning in many French homes.
Why France mentioned the United States
Paris Deputy Mayor for International Relations Audrey Pulvar responded to posts by American tourists, expats, and social media users who mocked the French over the lack of air conditioning.
The official stressed that such criticism was inappropriate, as the United States remains one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
"As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, you bear a significant amount of responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing," Audrey Pulvar stressed.
She also noted that about 90% of American cities widely use air conditioners, which also affect the environment.
"So please, enough with the lecture. Just start doing your part. Best regards," the official said.
The French are changing their attitude toward air conditioning
According to The Telegraph, only about a quarter of French households have air conditioning. For many years, the country treated it with restraint due to environmental concerns.
However, the record heat of recent days has changed the situation. Many stores quickly sold out of portable air conditioners, and shoppers lined up to buy the equipment as soon as new stock arrived.
What preceded this
US Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently mocked the heat in Europe and said that cold kills more people.
Recently, the governments of the United Kingdom, France, Spain, and Italy warned their citizens about a threat to their lives. However, the American minister offered a fundamentally different assessment of the situation.
Heat in Europe
In May, Europe experienced one of the hottest Mays on record, with temperature records broken in a number of Western European countries amid an unusually early heatwave.
Already in June, a new wave swept across the continent, with temperatures exceeding +40°C (104°F) in many countries. Germany, Czechia, Poland and Hungary set new records.
The heat caused transport problems and created additional strain on energy systems.
