## 20 Dome

This week's word was about the heat dome, a weather phenomenon that has affected Europe. Whatever the explanation for this phenomenon, it highlights the issue of climate change and global warming. The consequences are dramatic, as we have seen recently in Canada with wildfires, and in Pakistan and India. While we haven't reached 40°C in France and Europe yet, temperatures are still more than 7°C above average. It's still spring, but the weather is like summer a few years ago. Climatologists agree that this was unpredictable and that they expected such a phenomenon in 2040 or 2050. Global warming and climate change are accelerating.

More than a week of heat is a real heatwave for us. It's difficult for nature, for plants, trees, insects, birds, and the entire food chain. I can see the effects on the fruit trees in my garden. I'm trying to use water reasonably, but I don't want to kill all the trees either. Paris and its suburbs are becoming like southern or central France, and the south is becoming like North Africa. My palm tree is thriving and I no longer need to protect it from the cold in winter. I leave the grass long and keep some 'garden weeds' to protect insects. I'm lucky to have big trees and shrubs everywhere. Closing the shutters on the sunny side and airing them out at night has become routine. But now it's for five or six months of the year.

Part of my family moved to the south of France. It's a strange idea when I'm craving the cold! Remember my surname! The problem is not the warm weather, but the sudden change in temperature. Two days before the heatwave, the maximum temperature was 16 or 17°C. Now, the temperature is between 30 and 33°C. The temperature inside the house is increasing by one or two degrees per day. I'm thinking about people living in less well-insulated houses (mine is not great at the moment, but it could be worse). When I lived in Paris, I was in a flat with no insulation, but it was facing north. It was acceptable 20 years ago. But I can't imagine living in Paris now without parks, water or air conditioning. Air fans are my friends for now, and that's enough. My body is slowly acclimatising to the situation, but it takes a long time to cool down when it's cooler outside.

Last week, one of my colleagues was happy to see the sun come back. I'm sure he didn't realise that, even with rain last month, the temperature was higher than before. There is not enough groundwater for the rest of the summer. And with the El Niño phenomenon, I don't think we'll have a rainy summer. 

2Dɛ
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