Key facts
- The European Green Party has called for an emergency EU leaders' summit.
- The summit is intended to strengthen climate protections and the European Green Deal.
- Western Europe is currently experiencing a record-breaking heatwave.
- Temperatures in many European countries are nearing or exceeding 40 degrees Celsius.
- The heatwave is forecast to move eastward towards Poland.
The European Green Party has urged EU leaders to convene for an emergency summit to bolster climate protections and reinforce the bloc's Green Deal. This call comes as Western Europe grapples with a record-breaking heatwave, with temperatures in numerous countries reaching or surpassing 40 degrees Celsius and posing significant public health risks. Scientists attribute the increasing intensity and frequency of such heatwaves to climate change. The Greens argue that the current extreme weather constitutes an emergency, necessitating an urgent meeting to discuss enhanced emission reduction strategies and measures to shield Europeans from climate impacts. "The state and government leaders must convene in a top-level emergency meeting to urgently strengthen Europe’s climate protections and the Green Deal. History will judge the political choices made today and in the next months," stated European Green Party co-chair Vula Tsetsi. Her co-chair, Ciarán Cuffe, added, "This heat wave is rapidly turning into a major European public health crisis. Europe must now choose to double down on policies that protect us from extreme weather."