Green Deal, energy policy, and climate action
Regions home to 900 million people just lived through their hottest July on record, with Western Europe among the worst affected. Copernicus data also revealed alarming soil moisture deficits that scientists warn could fuel further warming.
President Zelensky warned Saturday that Ukraine faces winter with virtually no working thermal power plants after Russian strikes killed four, including a child. The attacks are part of a sustained campaign that has gutted the country’s energy grid ahead of its most critical heating season.
Hungary’s Paks nuclear plant came within millimetres of an emergency shutdown as the Danube reached critical flood levels last week. The near-miss is intensifying scrutiny over climate risks at the facility and its planned expansion.
As Europe battles its worst wildfires in decades, Australia’s blend of AI-driven fire prediction and ancient Indigenous burning practices offers a compelling model for disaster preparedness. The approach has reshaped how one of the world’s most fire-prone nations manages its landscape.
Two firefighting helicopters collided in midair over Greece on Sunday, killing a Greek and a Danish crew member during an active wildfire operation west of Athens. The crash has triggered an immediate investigation and renewed scrutiny of aerial coordination during fire emergencies.
A top UN official says the climate alarm is “blaring from every direction” as fossil fuel addiction drives disasters to nightmare proportions. The latest data shows 2024 broke nearly every temperature record on the books.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned Friday that a strengthening El Niño is intensifying the climate crisis at a moment when global temperatures are already breaking records. The weather phenomenon could drive the next five years to become the hottest in human history.
The WMO warned Friday that El Niño will intensify starting next month, with a 90 percent chance it persists through early 2024. The powerful climate pattern is developing against a record-breaking backdrop of global heat.
The European Commission has launched an ambitious emergency package targeting electricity price caps and mandatory demand cuts to shield consumers and businesses from runaway energy costs. But deep divisions among member states could slow the response at the worst possible moment.
France’s wildfire risk remains ‘extremely high’ despite a slight shift in weather, with authorities tackling 26 fires in a single day. Interior Minister Laurent Nunez warned that persistent drought means the danger is far from over.
