Europe heatwave 'brutal reminder' of climate change: UN

The UN climate chief said Wednesday that a record-breaking early heatwave scorching a swathe of Western Europe was "a brutal reminder of the spiraling impacts of the climate crisis".

Britain and France have reported their hottest ever May days this week as a "heat dome" brought sizzling temperatures more typical of midsummer to Western Europe.

With temperatures remaining stubbornly above 30C across much of northern Europe and predicted to go up again Thursday, UN climate chief Simon Stiell said the "main culprit" was humanity's burning of coal, oil and gas -- the primary driver of climate change. He also noted extreme conditions gripping India, where troops are battling forest fires and local authorities have reported deaths from heatstroke.