The European Union has estimated the damage from recent climate chaos across Europe and the northern hemisphere at approximately €180 billion. This figure does not yet include the full costs, with expensive infrastructure repairs only just beginning.
Harvests have been depleted, a factor that will probably lead to increased food price inflation. The European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, described the recent period as the “summer of truth,” noting that about 35,000 people reportedly died in Europe alone.
Von der Leyen stated that Europe is warming at double the global rate and committed to the continent's climate targets. However, campaigners have criticised the political response as often timid, with some governments reportedly stalling on climate commitments or supporting fossil fuels.