Europe is in the grip of a record‑shattering heatwave, with France, Spain, the UK and much of the continent seeing all‑time and June temperature records fall in rapid succession. From Madrid to New York, our panel unpacks what this extreme heat really means beyond the headlines: deadly heat stress, school closures, wildfire risks, collapsing harvests, and the mounting toll on both humans and non‑human animals. This isn’t just “a hot summer” – it’s a clear signal of how a rapidly warming climate is reshaping daily life across Europe and the world.