Key facts
- Central and eastern Europe are experiencing record-breaking temperatures.
- Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary have registered new temperature highs.
- Poland shut down coal power plants due to low water levels in the Vistula River, removing 1.3GW of capacity.
- Germany estimates 11,900 heat-related deaths this summer.
- Over 500,000 hectares have burned across the EU this year.
- Another heatwave is forecast for central and western Europe next week.
Central and eastern Europe are experiencing record-breaking temperatures as extreme weather conditions persist across the continent, exacerbating wildfires and droughts. Slovakia, Austria, and Hungary have all registered new temperature highs, with Dolné Plachtince in Slovakia reaching 42C (108F). In Poland, critically low water levels in the Vistula River forced the shutdown of the Kozienice and Połaniec coal-fired power plants, removing approximately 1.3GW of capacity from the national power system. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk urged employers to ensure staff welfare with air conditioning and cold water.
Germany has seen an estimated 11,900 heat-related deaths this summer, according to the Robert Koch Institute. Climate activists, such as Annkatrin Schwirten from Fridays for Future Berlin, have protested the government's response, linking the extreme heat and fatalities to fossil fuel policies.
In Hungary, Prime Minister Péter Magyar reported that the Paks nuclear power plant was returning to operation, noting an increase in the Danube River's water level. He also called for voluntary reductions in electricity consumption due to the high temperatures.
Experts warn that the escalating climate crisis is intensifying these heatwaves and drought conditions, placing significant pressure on populations, infrastructure, and wildlife. Paweł Pomian of EKO-UNIA stated that power plants contributing to climate change are becoming victims of it, urging a transition to wind and solar power, which require less water.
The intense heat has also primed vegetation for wildfires, with approximately half a million hectares burning across the EU this year, primarily in Spain and France. Ukraine has also seen 292,000 hectares burn. The severity of fire weather conditions has reached alarming new records for this time of year in countries like Austria, Czechia, and Slovakia. A recent analysis by the World Weather Attribution consortium indicated that global heating has made such hot, dry, and windy weather events significantly more likely.
Another pulse of heat is expected to affect central and western Europe next week. Forecast models show daily maximum temperatures well into the high 30s Celsius widely across France, Spain, and Italy during the first half of the week, while Germany, Poland, and Czechia will experience the highest temperatures towards the end of the week. The shift in the focus of the heat is attributed to the movement of high pressure systems.