Europe counts cost as rivers run low and wildfires blaze evacuations
Brutal heat waves strain continent as extremes now become the norm
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said: "These conditions are threatening lives and livelihoods, reducing crop production, and creating serious health risks due to smoke and poor air quality. The economic consequences could continue to grow as the fire season is still ongoing across Europe."
The EU will push its member countries to invest more in environmental management to reduce wildfire risk, the bloc's environment commissioner said last week.
"Prevention is the first line of defense ... it is obvious that we need to invest more in nature," EU Environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall told Reuters. "It's not a luxury, because the cost, if we don't do that, is growing. I'm working with the member states and the ministers on the urgency of investing, not only to protect our homes, to protect lives, but also to protect our industries."
Climate experts, policymakers, and international financial institutions have all called for faster investment in climate-proofing critical infrastructure to protect economies.
Without quicker adaptation, this summer's disruption may be a preview rather than an outlier.
