Can the searing European summer put climate action back on the agenda – or will disaster response take over?
Wildfire, drought and heat have made climate change impossible to avoid this northern summer. But will authorities tackle the cause – or the symptoms?
Europe has been gripped by an intense heatwave, wildfires and severe drought this summer, leading to the deaths of over 25,000 individuals and forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes. Farmers in the United Kingdom have expressed concerns over potential food shortages as the drought persists. The Rhine River has dropped to record low levels, disrupting a crucial trade and freight route across Europe.
Climate change made this summer significantly more likely, with the continent warming at nearly double the global rate. Despite the severity of the situation, climate action has fallen down the international agenda in recent years. Fossil-fuel-friendly governments have resisted efforts to combat climate change, and media coverage has decreased even as climate damage continues to increase.
France is forecast to experience a 35% drop in corn harvest this year due to the heatwaves and drought. Europe, the fastest-warming continent, has made progress on electric vehicles and solar energy, but overall emissions have not yet begun to decline. The 1.5°C limit set by the Paris Agreement in 2015 is unlikely to be met.
Climate change has become overshadowed by geopolitical tensions, economic pressures, and the rise of populist parties skeptical of existing climate policies. However, public concern about climate change remains high, particularly in Sweden, where it is a prominent issue ahead of the national election.
Worsening climate damage can amplify concern but divert resources away from long-term investments needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance adaptation and preparedness. This feedback loop, known as derailment risk, can only be broken by taking immediate action to cut emissions, bolster resilience, and mitigate the effects of climate disruptions.
Climate change has exposed weaknesses in how governments manage risk, often underfunding prevention and resilience due to the long-term benefits, while costs are typically paid upfront. Responsibility for managing these risks is frequently split across agencies and levels of government, leading to a bias towards responding to disasters after they occur rather than investing to reduce future losses.
Efforts to restore disaster recovery while simultaneously reducing long-term risks and improving response capacity, such as nature-based solutions and rebuilding infrastructure better or in different locations post-disaster, are essential. Natural disasters and climate change have historically been discussed in separate policy realms, with a lack of policy coherence between disaster risk management and climate change adaptation in Europe identified in a recent United Nations report.
Addressing these interconnected systems and their interactions is crucial to effectively tackling the climate crisis.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
