Paris adapts to scorching heat as the Olympics return

Athletes gear up for extreme heat in Paris as climate change brings rising temperatures to the city hosting the 2024 Olympic Games.

Isabelle Gerretsen and Miriam Quick report for the BBC.

In short:

Paris' average temperatures have increased by 3.1C (5.6F) during the Olympics period since 1924, causing concerns for athletes' performance and safety.
The city has implemented measures like early start times and access to water stations to mitigate heat risks during events.
Air quality has improved, with pollution levels much lower than in 1924, but extreme heat remains a significant challenge.

Key quote:

"Heat could be a killer if you aren't able to get your nutrition and hydration right."

— Pragnya Mohan, Indian triathlete

Why this matters:

The elegant boulevards and iconic landmarks remain, but the weather is a far cry from what it was a century ago when Paris last hosted the Games. From public health to environmental sustainability, the Olympic preparations reveal a city adapting to a new, hotter normal. Read more: Sabah Usmani on making cities healthy and just.

www.bbc.com

Paris adapts to scorching heat as the Olympics return

As waters around Alaska warm, algal toxins are turning up in new places in the food web

Surging energy demand helps fuel Trump’s love affair with coal

Two women, two different continents, but they have the same problem with their farms

Iran was already running out of water. Then came the ‘war on infrastructure’

Utilities warn of soaring costs related to Trump order for Indiana coal plants to stay open

White House’s ‘drill baby drill’ wartime mandate meets volatile market reality

Wealthy investors target foes of clean energy, seeking revenge

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Pennsylvania health advocates say Trump’s first 100 days in office have caused “100 harms” to local communities

“They're terrorizing these scientists because they want to keep them silent.”

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.