European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has highlighted the severe impact of an unusually hot summer across the European Union, which led to the drying up of major rivers and caused over 35,000 additional deaths. She described this summer as "the summer of truth," emphasizing the urgent need for new strategies to combat climate change. Von der Leyen proposed the creation of a European Heatwave Plan and a dedicated fleet of firefighting aircraft to better respond to the increasing frequency and intensity of extreme weather events. This summer saw record-breaking temperatures and extreme heat that hit Europe exceptionally hard and early. Key rivers such as the Danube, the Rhine, and La Garonne saw significantly lower water levels, exacerbating the effects of the heatwave. According to Von der Leyen, the extreme heat led to a much higher spike in deaths than expected, with care homes and hospitals struggling to cope with the high temperatures. Her figure of 35,000 additional deaths is three times higher than the estimates provided by monitoring groups in July. A study by the World Weather Attribution group found that the heat and humidity experienced during the summer would not have occurred without the influence of climate change. Von der Leyen warned that the current summer may be the hottest on record but could be among the cooler years to come. She emphasized that Europe is warming at twice the global average rate, according to scientific research. While acknowledging the efforts of those who fought fires this summer, she urged emergency responders and senior firefighters to think bigger and learn faster to develop new capabilities to address the growing challenges of climate instability. In a heartfelt tribute, Von der Leyen honored Rune Kyndal, a Danish helicopter pilot who died in August while fighting fires in Greece. She praised his bravery and sacrifice, saying, "Rune gave his life to save others and today, all of Europe owes him." Her words were met with applause from the assembly, underscoring the deep respect for those who risk their lives to protect others in the face of increasing climate-related emergencies.