Climate Change: A Summer of Extremes

Lina Klesper LL.M,

International Legal Assistant

This summer has once again highlighted the devastating effects of weather extremes across Europe. From raging wildfires in Greece, to widespread power outages in Malta, and floods ravaging Central Europe, these events serve as stark reminders of how vulnerable societies are to the increasingly frequent and intense weather extremes. Despite regional differences, these crises have a common denominator—climate change, driven by human activity.

Greece, a country already bearing the brunt of climate change, faced wildfires near Athens with flames soaring 25 meters high. The fires left many homeless, prompted mass evacuations, and claimed at least one life. These fires devastated over 10,000 hectares of land, threatening entire towns and destroying property and livelihoods. Such wildfires have become an annual occurrence, turning summer into a season of fear. Prevention is key, yet the affected communities criticize Greece’s disorganization in responding to the crisis.  Adequate relief measures, compensation, and financial aid, while promised, are seen as band-aid solutions in the absence of effective preventive strategies.

Pruning flammable vegetation and better managing suburban forests could mitigate such disasters. Greece must strengthen its emergency services’ coordination, especially given that it lies at the frontline of the climate emergency. Europe is warming faster than other regions, with this summer breaking records as June and July registered the hottest temperatures ever. Successive heatwaves have rendered Greek summers unbearable and dangerous, demanding an organized, preventive approach.

In Malta, heatwaves have led to a different but equally critical issue—electricity blackouts. The excessive heat has damaged underground cables and overwhelmed the power grid, unable to meet the spike in demand for air conditioning.  For many, it’s not a matter of having air conditioning, but of being able to use it without enduring power cuts. The crisis has exposed Malta’s energy infrastructure as outdated and ill-prepared for rising temperatures.  Generators have become a booming business, with hospitals and industries forced to rely on diesel-powered emergency systems. The pollution generated by burning fossil fuels to run these temporary generators adds another layer of hazard, turning Malta’s response into a vicious cycle of unsustainability.

Malta’s struggles highlight a broader European issue — a failure to invest adequately in renewable energy solutions. Solar energy, which should be a natural fit for a sun-drenched island like Malta, remains underexploited. This short-sightedness leaves the country vulnerable to future heatwaves, unable to ensure energy security while contributing to global warming through its reliance on fossil fuels.

The summer’s climatic extremes were not limited to heat. In Central Europe, June brought severe flooding, particularly in Southern Germany, where persistent rainfall strained dams and dykes, leading to mass evacuations across dozens of villages. Poland, Austria, and Switzerland also suffered from heavy storms, hail, and landslides, with fatal consequences. These natural disasters are increasingly seen not as isolated events but as part of a broader pattern linked to climate change. Scientists are unanimous in attributing these weather extremes to human-driven global warming.

The need for climate action has never been more urgent, as emphasized by Antonio Guterres, UN Secretary-General, who warned that every delay in acting brings the world closer to irreversible damage. The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) further stresses that climate change is exacerbating the risk of a wide range of disasters—wildfires, floods, droughts, and infectious diseases among them. The degradation of ecosystems and failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are pushing the planet past critical tipping points, as described by the framework of planetary boundaries. Six out of nine key boundaries have already been transgressed, including those for freshwater use, climate change, and biochemical flows.

Achieving net-zero emissions is not a matter of political preference or temporary trends; it’s a necessity for the survival of life as we know it. Europe’s Green Deal is a step in the right direction, yet its progress is under threat. The recent European Parliament elections saw gains for right-wing parties at the expense of the green lobby, raising doubts about Europe’s ability to meet its net-zero goals by 2050. Political fragmentation and resistance to green policies could stall the transition to renewables, undermining the continent’s climate efforts. On the global stage, the looming U.S. elections could have far-reaching consequences, especially if climate-sceptic leadership returns, prioritizing fossil fuels over sustainable energy.

As the planet warms, cities across Europe are focusing more on heatwave resilience, preparing to withstand scorching summers. Urban areas are particularly susceptible to the “urban heat island” effect, where buildings and asphalt trap heat, creating pockets of extreme temperatures. Some cities, like Vienna and Frankfurt, have adopted nature-based solutions. Vienna has introduced mist showers and invested in bike routes to reduce heat-producing traffic while planning to plant thousands of trees each year. Trees, which can reduce temperatures by up to 12°C, are becoming a vital tool in cooling urban spaces. Frankfurt has developed green ventilation corridors to channel cool air from surrounding areas into the city. The trend of covering buildings with plants is gaining traction, as it can lower roof temperatures by up to 40°C. Simple measures like distributing drinking fountains are also helping residents cope with the heat.

For Malta, where reliance on air conditioning is high, such innovative urban planning could offer alternatives to merely boosting electricity capacity. Cooling streets naturally could reduce pressure on the grid and prevent the type of cable damage that has plagued the island this summer. Integrating green spaces, planting more trees, and using sustainable architecture could create a more resilient urban environment.

This summer has made it clear that climate change is no longer a future problem — it’s our present reality. The disasters witnessed across Europe underline the importance of proactive adaptation and mitigation strategies. Whether through better management of forests in fire-prone areas, modernizing energy infrastructure in heat-stricken regions, or rethinking urban design to combat rising temperatures, the way forward is clear. Without bold, unified action, the costs, both human and environmental, will only continue to rise. The summer of 2024 should be a wake-up call, not just for Europe, but for the world.