EU Officials Commemorate Heatwave Victims as Bloc Prepares New Climate Adaptation Plan

EU officials held a day of remembrance for victims of last month's record-breaking heatwave, which caused around 10,000 excess deaths across Western Europe, including 5,000 in Germany alone. EU climate chief Teresa Ribera stated that climate change is a killer and that Europe is not prepared for its risks. The European Commission will table a concrete proposal for a new climate adaptation plan by year's end, prioritizing emissions cuts and building resilience to extreme weather. A WHO official suggested that declaring the climate crisis a global public health emergency could trigger more urgent action. The European Environment Agency noted that citizens and businesses face around €50 billion in annual climate damages, roughly equal to the EU's agricultural budget. Political divisions persist over whether the EU should focus on mitigation or adaptation, such as the uptake of air conditioning.