As Europe swelters through its second heatwave of the season, the weather forecasts sound unreal and otherworldly … 34° … 37° … even 40°. But hey: That’s record-breaking! In some places, nights offer little relief, with temperatures above 20°. The current heat has already lasted for more than a week.
In America, everything is bigger, they say. I experienced my first big heatwave in 1999. I was an intern in New York City. Lo and behold, the shower tiles were already hot at 6 a.m. Can the night air heat up precarious student housing past body temperature?
Since then, even Central Europe has had its share of heatwaves: They come more often, much closer together, and stay longer.
I have been writing and teaching about environmental literacy for years. Against scare-mongering and despair. For hope and resilience. For mitigation and adaptation at every scale. Including this one:
What can we learn from this current heatwave that leaves us better prepared for the next one?
#Hitzewelle #Heatwave #EnvironmentalLiteracy #ClimateChange #ClimateAdaptation #AcademicLife #Sustainability #Hope #Despair #Resilience
Originally posted on Mastodon, Bluesky, and LinkedIn, June 26, 2026.