As a severe heatwave continued to grip much of western Europe on Sunday, with temperatures expected to reach 40°C in parts of Spain and southern France, the continent's response highlights the stark divisions of its border regime. While authorities in Paris announced measures to protect residents, including allowing swimming in Canal Saint-Martin from Wednesday and keeping parks and gardens open 24/7, the silence on provisions for migrants and asylum seekers in precarious conditions underscores the structural neglect inherent in Fortress Europe's climate crisis response.
The summer solstice brought the sun at its strongest and high UV levels across the continent, intensifying the heat. Météo-France reported more than 30 French departments were under a red heat warning on Sunday, including Gironde and the Paris region. In Spain, heat warnings were in place across 14 regions, with the national weather agency AEMET warning of "very high nighttime and daytime temperatures" that were unlikely to drop until next Thursday.
These official warnings from AEMET also highlighted a "significant danger" to vulnerable people, as well as for anyone taking part in outdoor activities, and noted an increased risk of fires. However, the specific vulnerability of those criminalised for crossing borders – including undocumented workers, asylum seekers in informal settlements, and those in overcrowded detention facilities – remains unaddressed by these public health advisories, revealing a systemic oversight in Europe's approach to climate impacts.
Climate Crisis and Border Violence
This heatwave is a direct consequence of the escalating climate crisis, a crisis disproportionately caused by the Global North but whose worst effects are felt by the Global South, driving forced migration. Yet, when people move for survival, opportunity, or safety, they are met with the violent enforcement of Fortress Europe's borders, rather than solidarity or protection from the very conditions exacerbated by climate change. The criminalisation of movement continues even as the continent itself grapples with extreme weather.
In France, authorities banned the consumption of alcohol at the annual Fête de la Musique festival in Paris, where temperatures were expected to reach 35°C on Sunday. This measure for public order contrasts sharply with the lack of visible action or public discourse concerning the specific dangers posed by such extreme heat to those without stable housing, legal status, or access to public services, conditions frequently faced by migrants and refugees.
Across the continent, cities braced for intense heat. Parts of the Madrid area could see highs of around 40°C. In Switzerland, Sion in the southwest was expected to top out at 37°C on Sunday, with Zurich, Geneva, and Bern set to hit 34°C, and Basel reaching 35°C. Italy's Rome and Turin were expected to hit up to 36°C on Sunday, while the UK's Met Office issued an amber weather warning for extreme heat across parts of England and Wales starting tomorrow, citing "adverse health effects" and an "increased risk of water safety incidents."
The Unseen Vulnerability
The warnings of "very high nighttime and daytime temperatures" from AEMET carry a particular weight for those living in precarious conditions. For migrants and asylum seekers, who are often denied adequate shelter, cooling facilities, or even basic healthcare access, these temperatures represent an amplified threat to life and health. The focus on protecting citizens, while necessary, exposes the racist double standard embedded in Europe's emergency responses, where solidarity is conditional on nationality and legal status.
Even as storms accompanied high temperatures in the south of Germany, leading to multiple people being injured in lightning strikes over the weekend, heat alerts remained in place across much of the nation. This dual threat of extreme weather further complicates the already dire circumstances for those navigating Europe's hostile border regime, highlighting the urgent need for open borders and unconditional solidarity in the face of a planetary crisis.