No, this wasn't a "completely normal summer", despite far-right climate denial

The European summer of 2022 was anything but ordinary, despite far-right climate deniers' assertions. Germany alone reported over 14,000 heat-related fatalities, with June alone accounting for nearly two-thirds of these deaths. The continent's economy faces an estimated loss of €180 billion due to heat-induced reduced GDP. Farmers suffered significant crop losses, with approximately 9 million tons of grain crops affected in June.

Climate change, once a politically sensitive issue, has become an undeniable daily reality for people worldwide. However, the far-right continues to challenge this reality. Richard Tice, leader of the UK’s Reform Party, claimed that climate change has always occurred and always will, encouraging people to enjoy the heat. In the US, Republican politician Harriet Hageman stated that Europe's heatwave was typical, likening it to summer.

Tino Chrupalla, co-leader of Germany’s AfD party, dismissed climate change as "hype." Yet, these claims are not supported by scientific evidence. According to NASA, human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, have led to a warming of Earth's surface and ocean basins, impacting the planet's climate. Independent climate monitoring bodies, including NOAA in the US, the Copernicus Climate Change Service in the EU, and the Japan Meteorological Agency, all declared that July was either the warmest or second warmest month on record.

The extreme heat led to various impacts, including energy plants halting production, motorways rupturing, and buildings overheating. The conditions affected nearly every corner of the globe, with July being the hottest on record for North America, Africa, and Asia. The United States surpassed its previous hottest July record set in 1936.

Sea surface temperatures reached their highest level since 1979, and Spain experienced its most intense wildfire season, with experts attributing it to rising global temperatures. The far-right parties in various countries downplayed the connection between climate change and extreme weather events, failing to acknowledge the mathematical proof that climate change has altered the probability and intensity of such events.