Studies confirm this heatwave in Europe is the most severe ever recorded

This heatwave is the most severe ever recorded, according to new research.

According to a report from World Weather Attribution, climate scientists have found that June is now warming faster than any other month across Europe. The study said that Europe's hottest daily temperatures are warming three times faster than the global average, and added that night temperatures are also rising at twice the global speed.

The report added that if a similar style heatwave had happened in Europe 50 years ago, peak temperatures would have been around 3 degrees cooler than they are now.

The study analysed 854 cities across 30 European countries, and found that 45% had already broken or were predicted to break the highest-ever heat stress levels. This puts the body's ability to cool down at risk.

Dublin, Belfast, Derry, Waterford, and Galway were among the 45%.

Dr Theodore Keeping, Extreme Weather and Wildfire Researcher at Imperial College London, said the speed of change is "startling".

"Every few years, we are seeing heat records shattered in Europe. This year, it has been in consecutive months. In the UK, we are used to 'snow days' shutting down schools, but this generation is now growing up with 'heat days' as well," he explained.

Professor Friederike Otto, Professor of Climate Science at Imperial College London, confirmed that phasing out fossil fuels is critical to avoid increasing temperatures and their future consequences.