Von der Leyen calls summer 'reckoning' as Europe tallies €180bn climate damage
Record heat killed 35,000 across Europe while politicians responded with inadequate climate action, campaigners say.
What to know
- Europe's record-breaking summer killed 35,000 people and caused €180 billion in damage, with the northern hemisphere broadly ravaged by heat, drought, and flooding.
- While some countries announced renewable energy commitments, campaigners say the political response is inadequate—the EU plans to cut green funding and continues backing fossil fuels.
- Von der Leyen warned the summer was "a mere preview" of warming to come and pledged to maintain climate targets, but Greenpeace called the response "meek."
Political responses to the climate crisis are inadequate and compromise-ridden, prioritizing corporate interests over environmental protection.
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“It was the hottest of summers – it was the meekest of responses.”
KeithMcNeill · Mastodon ↗
“The EU Commission continues its crusade to dismantle and defund environmental action. It is planning to cut green funding in the next EU budget, continues to support fossil fuels like gas.”
Magda Stoczkiewicz, Greenpeace EU programme director · Guardian Environment ↗
Ursula von der Leyen EU Commission PresidentMagda Stoczkiewicz Greenpeace EU programme director
Andy Burnham UK Prime Minister
How it unfolded 1 development · click the chart to see its coverage articlesposts
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Guardian analysisMixed political response masks inadequate climate action
Guardian environment editor Fiona Harvey reported that while some countries announced positive measures—the Netherlands roadmap on fossil fuel transition, France's accelerated electrification plan, UK community energy programme, Thailand halting gas power stations, India pushing renewables to 500GW, China's shift to electric vehicles—these gains are outweighed by governments stalling on commitments or pushing for more fossil fuels. Centrist and leftwing politicians offered tepid responses; the right and far right showed denial.
“All of this is a mere preview. These were the hottest summer months ever – but probably the coolest of the years to come.”
— Ursula von der Leyen, EU Commission President · source -
first by Guardian Environment, 5d ago
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After a summer of viciously clear evidence of increasing climate chaos politicians have decided .... wait for it.... not to do anything much and to hope for the best.
2 more of the top 3 · 5 posts in this stretch
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“It was the hottest of summers – it was the meekest of responses.” – Magda Stoczkiewicz, Greenpeace # GlobalCarbonFeeAndDividendPetition https://www. theguardian.com/environment/20 26/sep/19/summer-of-truth-will-political-leaders-act-as-climate-chaos-comes-knocking
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Well, you're not playing for a win, but for a loss for Europe. Let's say we do, and we do accelerate climate change. It has been scientifically proven, so it will. Where do you think this collapse will happen and where do you think the people affected will inevitably migrate? And how do you think you're going to stop this? Patrol the entire…
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Greenpeace condemns EU response as inadequate — Magda Stoczkiewicz, EU programme director for Greenpeace, criticized von der Leyen's intervention as a meek response to the crisis, accusing the EU Commission of dismantling environmental action, planning to cut green funding, continuing to support fossil fuels like gas, and speeding up permitting of harmful projects.
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Von der Leyen frames summer as "truth" moment, pledges climate action — EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the situation in her state of the EU address, calling it the "summer of truth" and warning that the damage was "a mere preview" of warming to come. She promised to "double down" on low-carbon energy, "make Europe's future electric," and build climate resilience with a heatwave plan.
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Record heat ravages Europe and northern hemisphere — Climate chaos sent heat records tumbling across Europe and the northern hemisphere, scorching crops, burning forests, emptying rivers and reservoirs, warping train tracks, melting roads, and killing about 35,000 people in Europe alone. The EU estimated damage at €180 billion. The US heat eclipsed 1930s dust bowl levels, with 60% of the country gripped by drought; Asia experienced extreme rainfall, flash floods, and typhoons displacing hundreds of thousands.
What people are saying 2 voices from 1 site · best of 5 · verbatim
- Sep 20
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180 billion euros down the drain in one summer in one continent as the world moves ever deeper into dangerously out of control climate chaos. Stop using fossilised technology
- Sep 19
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Some thoughts… Perhaps the most consequential shift is conceptual: climate change is no longer principally a question of prediction, but of risk management. 1/3