A severe heatwave across Western Europe in June 2026 has exposed the deep-seated racism and class segregation embedded within European societies, mirroring the external border regime. Inès Seddiki, founder of the organisation Ghett’up in Seine-Saint-Denis north of Paris, stated that the heatwave had revealed the “inequality and segregation in French society” and “the racism in our society against them” regarding young people from suburban housing estates. She reported that when young people from the banlieue sought respite, for example at the seaside, “some French commentators talk about an ‘invasion’ because it is a group of 15-20 young people who are Black or north African.” This rhetoric of 'invasion' is a common tool used to criminalise movement and justify exclusion. Simultaneously, several towns in the richest area west of Paris, including Neuilly-sur-Seine, banned access to their municipal swimming pools for anyone coming from other towns this week, creating internal borders that reinforce existing social divisions.
Racism by Design: Internal Borders
The heatwave caused dozens of heat-related deaths and widespread disruption across France and the UK, disproportionately affecting those already marginalised by the system. In France, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu activated the highest level of health services mobilisation, redirecting resources toward heat-affected populations. Over 44 million people in France, out of a total population of 67 million, were under the highest red alert for heat, with temperatures exceeding 40C and remaining dangerously hot at night. The extreme heat led to higher air pollution, increased hospital admissions, school closures, and train cancellations. It also resulted in power cuts to thousands of homes, leaving residents unable to use electric fans or close electric blinds, further exacerbating the suffering of those in inadequate housing.
Maïder Olivier, head of climate advocacy at the NGO Fondation pour le Logement, highlighted France’s “massive and worsening problem of heat-trap housing,” stating that climate inequality is growing, with low-income, suburban housing estates suffering the worst. About 66% of French people struggle to tolerate the heat in their homes, and a report for the NGO found that half of all French homes have insufficient protection from high temperatures. Aboubakar, 60, from Grigny, one of the poorest towns in the greater Paris area, described his fourth-floor flat as reaching 40C inside, saying, “I’m suffocating. I can’t afford to buy a fan. There are no shutters on my flat. At night I can’t sleep, it’s like a furnace.” He added that the heatwave had worsened his mental health, illness, and housing insecurity, forcing him to sit under a tree during the day. Roland, 20, a student, also spoke of trying to stay in the dark in his flat with “no air,” unable to use electric fans due to cost.
Climate Injustice and Housing Apartheid
The French government has faced criticism for its lack of preparation and for cutting funding for projects designed to adapt infrastructure to the climate crisis. Paris, with its poorly insulated housing stock, has long been considered to have the highest heatwave mortality risk of any capital on the continent. A study of the record-breaking 2003 heat wave, which caused 15,000 heat-related deaths, found that living in a Paris attic room directly under the roof increased the risk of death by more than fourfold. Amelie Kenney, a 23-year-old recent graduate, described her 735-euro-a-month sixth-floor walk-up with a zinc roof as “baking in the whole afternoon,” a “very, very Kafkaesque cycle” of trying to find respite. Maider Olivier noted that zoning regulations intended to preserve Paris’ character, including its signature rooftops, hinder efforts to adapt housing, stating, “These regulations which protect the rooftops of Paris do not protect the people who live beneath those rooftops.” This structural neglect of housing for the working class and racialized communities is a direct consequence of a system that prioritises aesthetics and capital over human life.
Health Systems Under Strain
In England, hospitals declared critical incidents as cooling units, laboratories, and digital systems failed, contributing to overcrowding and risks to patient care. Doctors reported that radiotherapy machines and MRI scanners failed, critical IT systems stalled, and cooling units serving entire hospitals broke down. The London ambulance service recorded its highest number of life-threatening emergencies in a single day, responding to a record 642 category one calls. Dr Hilary Williams, clinical vice-president of the Royal College of Physicians, stated that the impact on patients and staff exposed an NHS that was dangerously underprepared, already facing “enormous pressure” due to rising demand and workforce shortages. She emphasised that while immediate steps can be taken, this must be matched by “system-level change – strengthening infrastructure and embedding resilience into NHS reform.” The Department of Health and Social Care maintained that all NHS trusts were required to have effective arrangements to deal with extreme heat, yet the widespread failures demonstrate the systemic underfunding and lack of preparedness for climate realities, particularly for the most vulnerable populations who rely on public services. The heatwave has laid bare the deep inequalities that define Europe, from its external borders to the internal segregation of its cities.