Europe has experienced its hottest summer on record, with temperatures in August averaging 2.7 degrees above the seasonal norm. This extreme heat has led to widespread forest fires across the continent, particularly in the Mediterranean region, where 300,000 hectares were burned in Spain. Fires also broke out in northern Europe, such as in Belgium’s Hautes-Fagnes natural reserve, which saw a historic incident. The summer’s intense heat contributed to the deaths of 35,000 people across Europe. Saskia Bricmont, a Belgian green European parliamentarian, expressed regret over the lack of attention given to the 35,000 lives lost. Speaking on the program Ici l'Europe, she emphasized that if similar numbers had been caused by an attack or health crisis, a state of emergency would have been declared. However, no such emergency plan was activated for the heatwave at either national or European levels. To combat the forest fires, the European Union mobilized nearly 800 firefighters and 22 firefighting aircraft across various member states. The European civil protection mechanism, which allows affected countries to request assistance from other EU members, was activated 10 times this summer. However, Grégory Allione, a French centrist politician and former president of the French Federation of Firefighters, noted that the EU cannot act independently on such matters, as fire protection is a national responsibility. In France, for example, solidarity efforts are only organized when local or regional authorities request help. As Europe faces increasingly extreme weather, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced a new framework for climate resilience during her State of the Union speech on September 16. The plan includes identifying 100 of Europe’s most vulnerable regions and assessing their risks. Saskia Bricmont, however, questioned whether this would be another unfulfilled promise. She stressed the need for adaptation in cities, homes, and agriculture, but warned that without reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Europe will remain unprepared for future crises. Von der Leyen also introduced an EU initiative to improve water management, in response to a record drought that affected two-thirds of the EU. This drought weakened vegetation and agriculture, and made wildfires more likely. Bricmont highlighted the importance of ensuring drinking water availability and managing conflicts over water use for agriculture. She also raised concerns about the water consumption of data centers, which are expanding across Europe. Grégory Allione added that water storage will become increasingly necessary for drinking, agriculture, and firefighting, especially during periods of heavy rainfall. He warned against an overly cautious approach that could hinder necessary infrastructure development.