Publication Date December 14, 2004 | BBC News

Europe heatwaves 'soon routine'

United Kingdom
The United Kingdom's Haweswater Reservoir in September during the 2003 European heat wave. Photo: John Douglas
The United Kingdom's Haweswater Reservoir in September during the 2003 European heat wave. Photo: John Douglas

A stark warning of the probable effects of global warming in Europe has been given by a UK climate research group. Scientists at the Met Office's Hadley Centre say the 2003 European heatwave, the hottest ever recorded, could within just 60 years pass as "unusually cool"...The report says last year's European heatwave, the most intense since records began, caused more than 15,000 extra deaths. The authors say they estimate man-made climate change has already doubled the risk of such heatwaves.