As Europe continues to battle one of the worst heat waves in its history, a senior Paris official has sparked a heated debate by blaming Americans for helping fuel the climate crisis behind the extreme temperatures.
The comments came as France struggled through record-breaking heat, with temperatures topping 104°F (40°C) in some areas and hundreds of excess casualties being reported.
Highlights
- Paris Deputy Mayor Audrey Pulvar blamed the United States for contributing to the climate conditions behind Europe’s heat wave.
- France recorded more than 1,300 excess casualties during the extreme temperatures.
- Scientists said human-caused climate change intensified the heat wave and made such events more likely across Europe.
While some American tourists and influencers mocked France for not having air conditioning in most homes and hotels, Paris Deputy Mayor Audrey Pulvar fired back, arguing that the United States shares responsibility for the climate conditions Europe is now facing.
Paris deputy mayor blamed the United States for Europe’s current weather crisis
Image credits: Mohamad Salaheldin Abdelg Alsayed/Anadolu/Getty Images
The controversy began after American visitors took to social media to complain about the lack of air conditioning across France during the intense heat.
Pulvar, who oversees international relations for the city of Paris, responded with a strongly worded message.
“Dear American journalists and social media ‘influencers': for days, some of you have been criticizing and making fun of Paris because the city does not have A/C in every room… OMG, this is so rich!” she wrote.
Image credits: Audrey Pulvar
She then argued that the United States has played a major role in creating the climate conditions that are making heat waves more severe.
“As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, you bear a significant amount of responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing,” Pulvar said.
Image credits: Audrey Pulvar
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“Your cities, which are 90 percent air-conditioned, are not unrelated to this.”
Pulvar also defended Paris' environmental policies, pointing to efforts to reduce car traffic, improve building efficiency, expand green spaces, and promote sustainability.
“So please, enough with the lecture. Just start doing your part,” she added.
Traditionally, France has long resisted widespread air conditioning
Image credits: Audrey Pulvar
Unlike the United States, where air conditioning is common in homes, offices, and public buildings, France has traditionally been far more cautious about adopting cooling systems.
Only about 25% of French households have air conditioning units, according to reports. Environmental concerns, cultural attitudes, and strict building regulations have all contributed to the country's reluctance to embrace AC on a large scale.
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However, the conversation has started to change as summers become hotter and heat waves become more frequent.
The latest extreme temperatures have intensified political debates about whether France should invest more heavily in cooling infrastructure.
Some politicians have called for major programs to help households install air conditioning, while others continue to argue that reducing emissions should remain the priority.
Moreover, the heat wave has left a devastating toll across France
Image credits: Afitab/Pexels (not an actual photo)
The debate over air conditioning comes as France deals with the consequences of the current heat wave.
According to France's public health agency, at least 1,300 excess casualties have been recorded since June 21, although officials believe the final figure could be even higher. Most of the incidents involved people aged 65 and older.
Public Health France reported that the daily count surged during the hottest days of the heat wave.
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More than 1,200 casualties were recorded on June 24 alone, followed by over 1,400 on each of the next two days. Before the heat wave, the country's rate was generally between 900 and 1,000 people passing away.
Health Minister Stéphanie Rist warned that the impact of the heat wave may continue even after temperatures begin to fall.
“The episode is not finished,” she told La Tribune on June 28.
The scale of the crisis has put enormous pressure on funeral homes and mortuaries around Paris
Image credits: Getty Images/Unsplash (not an actual photo)
Zouhaeir Hertelli, who runs a mortuary near Orly Airport, shared his phone has been ringing constantly as funeral directors search for places to store bodies.
“We're facing a really catastrophic situation,” he said. “I'm getting hundreds of calls.”
With storage facilities filling up, Paris authorities were forced to install temporary units to handle the overflow.
Hertelli said many funeral homes have run out of space entirely.
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“We're dealing with an enormous spike of d*aths because of the heat wave and we're really full, full, full,” he explained.
Funeral director Véronique Bertrand told Page Six many of the victims were older people who lived alone.
“I think people absolutely need to wake up,” she said.
“With the passing years, we've perhaps forgotten that it could happen again and that things would even perhaps be worse.”
Scientists claimed that the climate change is making Europe's heat waves worse
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Researchers revealed that the current heat wave is not just another hot summer.
Scientists from World Weather Attribution, a Europe based collaboration of scientists, concluded on a June 26 report that the intensity of the heat wave would not have been possible without human-caused climate change.
They also noted that Europe is warming faster than the global average, making extreme heat events more frequent and more dangerous.
Image credits: US_Stormwatch
The current crisis has already drawn comparisons to France's devastating 2003 heat wave, which led to around 15,000 people losing their lives.
This year's event has also caused widespread disruption beyond France.
Schools have been affected, tourist attractions have closed, livestock losses have been reported, and emergency services across several countries have been stretched to their limits.
Spain alone has reported more than 200 heat-related casualties.
“Audrey Pulvan stop pretending that not using modern AC is somehow virtuous,” wrote one user
