From NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THAT

By Paul Homewood

The BBC is in its little climate bubble again!

For decades holidaymakers have poured into resorts and islands in southern Europe for a relaxing break in the summer sun.

But the scenes of tourists fleeing wildfires in Greece, or trapped indoors unable to enjoy baking beaches in Spain, may give some people second thoughts.

Back-to-back heatwaves brought sweltering temperatures in the 40s to parts of Europe in July, which is expected to break records for the world’s hottest month ever recorded.

Climate change played an “absolutely overwhelming” role in the heat, scientists have concluded – and it is forecast to get worse as the average global temperature keeps rising.

Europe is warming faster than most parts of the world, experts say.

How are holidaymakers reacting?

There is no sign of immediate panic. So far this summer, British demand for foreign holidays seems unchanged by the sweltering temperatures, says travel expert Simon Calder.

The travel industry, travel agents and holiday companies say it is business as usual, he says.

“People are still buying last-minute breaks to the Mediterranean. They want some sunshine, they want some heat, and they’re prepared to pay for it,” he adds…..

Some climate campaigners are frustrated with a lack of urgency over changing travel, given that flying contributes a significant amount to greenhouse gas emissions.

Andrew Simms, co-director of the green think tank the New Weather Institute, says: “At first it might seem odd that many might still jump on a climate-polluting flight to holiday in exactly the places where ‘global boiling’, as the UN calls it, will make life harshest, if not intolerable.”

But people receive mixed messages, he says.

“All day, every day, people are exposed to adverts promoting polluting high-carbon products and lifestyles that make them seem normal, when flying to hotspots should trigger an emergency warning,” he says.

Some people are likely to always risk booking a trip during a heatwave. But it is worth remembering that heat can be dangerous and even deadly, says Dr Ellie Murtagh, UK climate adaptation lead at the British Red Cross.

“If you are travelling with older people, pregnant women, young children or someone with a chronic health condition; take extra care to make sure they’re safe and healthy.”

Simon Calder says he hopes there will be a move back to holidays like those before “the jet age of mass air travel began”.

Places like the coast of Belgium, or resorts in the Netherlands and Ireland, could become more popular, as could travel to the UK, he suggests.

“I would imagine that the North Sea and Baltic Beaches are going to get it a bit crowded next summer as a result of what we’ve seen this year,” he adds.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-66340261

The BBC obviously find it difficult to accept that people actually go to Greece and elsewhere for the precise reason that it does get very hot there.

And the actual numbers show that tourists have been flocking to Greece in ever increasing numbers, interrupted only by the pandemic. All this despite global warming.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/444847/total-number-of-inbound-visitors-in-greece/

Of course, being the BBC they had to include a long series of comments from their eco crackpot friends, about the wickedness of air travel, along with the silly nannying advice from Ellie Murtagh.

But I loved that bit about how we’re all going to be holidaying on North Sea coasts in future, to get away from the heat!