A heatwave gripping western Europe has forced authorities in Paris to impose alcohol restrictions, while the UK’s creaking infrastructure has been unexpectedly praised for coping with the extreme temperatures. The contrast highlights the stark regional inequalities in how nations deal with climate change, with working-class communities in both countries feeling the heat most acutely.
In the French capital, officials have banned the sale of alcohol in parks and on the streets as temperatures hit 40°C. The measure, aimed at preventing heat-related health emergencies, has been criticised for targeting the city's poorer residents. “It’s a joke,” said Marie Dubois, a 54-year-old cleaner from the 18th arrondissement. “They want us to drink water, but a cold beer is all we can afford. The air-conditioned bars are for the rich.” Dubois spoke to me while fanning herself with a newspaper, sweat dripping down her face. The ban, she says, will push drinkers into overcrowded apartments with no air conditioning.
As the heatwave shifts east towards Germany and Poland, the focus now turns to the UK, where recent days have seen temperatures soar above 38°C. But despite the heat, the country’s transport networks and emergency services have been praised for their response. “I’m surprised, to be honest,” said John Higgins, a train driver from Manchester. “The rails didn't buckle, the roads didn't melt. Maybe we’re better prepared than we thought.” The praise is rare for a country used to infrastructure failures in the face of extreme weather.
Yet the relief is uneven. In the North of England, where I grew up, families are struggling with the cost of keeping cool. Energy bills have skyrocketed, and many cannot afford fans or air conditioning. “We’ve got two kids and a dog. The council says to open windows, but the noise at night keeps everyone awake,” said Sarah, a 38-year-old mother of two from Leeds, who asked that her surname not be used. She works two jobs, but the heat has sapped her energy. “I had to take Monday off because I was sick from the heat. That's a day's wage lost.”
Unions have been vocal, calling for a universal right to cool workplaces and homes. “It’s a health and safety issue,” said Mark Robinson, a regional official for the GMB union. “Workers in factories and warehouses are collapsing. The government needs to step in, or we’ll see strikes this summer.” In Manchester, a group of warehouse workers for a major supermarket chain have already voted to walk out if conditions don't improve.
The heatwave is a stark reminder of the climate crisis, but also of the class divide. In Paris, the alcohol ban hits the poor hardest. In the UK, the infrastructure holds, but for how long? And at what cost to families already stretched by inflation? The heatwave will pass, but the underlying inequality will remain.
As I write this, the temperature in my flat is 34°C. The fan I bought from a charity shop is on its last legs. I know that for many, the real heat is yet to come.
