Extreme Heat Threatens Europe's $2 Trillion Travel Industry
Greek wildfires have forced evacuations of thousands of holiday-goers while tourists wilted in Sardinia’s near-record heat last week.
An idyllic summer vacation turned into a nightmare after thousands of people were evacuated from Greek islands beset by wildfires — the latest reminder that Europe’s tourism industry needs to confront the realities of climate change and adapt fast.
Summers have been getting more intense in southern Europe, and the blazes in Greece are a grim repeat of deadly fires that devastated the country in 2021. Unbearable heat this year has forced authorities to shut the Acropolis and driven tourists on the Italian island of Sardinia indoors. And that’s with just 1.2C of global warming from pre-industrial levels. Scientists say it’s going to get worse even if we contain the temperature rise to the Paris Agreement’s goal of 2C.