Shafaqna English- France’s Minister of the Environment, Monique Barbut, announced on Wednesday(12 Aug 2026) that the recent months’ series of intense heatwaves that have swept across the country are expected to generate total direct and indirect costs estimated at between €10 billion and €15 billion (equivalent to approximately $17 billion), reflecting the widespread economic toll of the extreme weather events.
Citing official data released by France’s National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), the Environment Minister confirmed that the heatwave period is far from over, and warned that the estimated damages could potentially rise even further as the extreme conditions persist.
Source: Reuters