As Europe endures one of the hottest summers in its history in 2025, the effects of the climate crisis are becoming increasingly palpable and deadly. Extreme heatwaves that gripped the Mediterranean region in June and July have not only caused environmental destruction but also posed a significant public health threat. Data from institutions such as the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that thousands of people have died due to heat-related causes during this period, while side effects such as air pollution and drought have further exacerbated the crisis.[1]
This situation has reignited debates questioning the adequacy of the European Union’s (EU) strategies against climate change. The EU’s newly proposed 2040 climate targets aim to set more “flexible” and “realistic” goals during this moment of crisis. However, these proposals have been criticized by environmental groups and some scientists as inadequate and delayed responses.
The extreme weather events of summer 2025 have once again brought into question whether Europe’s climate policies are producing tangible results. According to DW, temperatures exceeded 45°C in southern European countries such as Greece, Italy, and Spain, while wildfires threatened residential areas and agricultural production suffered severe damage. An analysis by the EEA highlights that Europe is inadequately prepared for the impacts of climate change, citing serious shortcomings in early warning systems, urban planning, and infrastructure investment.[2] The agency states that “Europe has entered a period of vulnerability to climate change,” calling for all sectors to undergo a transformation that accounts for climate impacts. These warnings once again underline that climate change is not only an environmental issue but also a social and economic crisis.
In this context, the European Commission unveiled a new proposal package in July 2025 that outlines its 2040 climate targets. The EU aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% compared to 1990 levels by 2040.[3] However, the fact that this target does not amount to “net-zero emissions” has been interpreted as a controversial form of flexibility. Commission officials emphasized that the new target prioritizes being “feasible and economically sustainable” and highlighted the importance of carbon capture technologies, green hydrogen investments, and just transition mechanisms.[4] Nevertheless, it remains uncertain whether this strategy will sufficiently encourage the pace of transition in countries that are still heavily dependent on fossil fuels.
The Commission’s emphasis on “flexibility” and “pragmatism” when announcing these new targets reflects the reality that the climate crisis has now become not only a scientific but also a political issue. In a statement, the Commission President stressed the importance of addressing cost concerns that worry citizens and emphasized that the transition process cannot succeed without public support.[5] However, environmental organizations such as the European Climate Foundation argue that this rhetoric actually represents a retreat and claim that the 2040 target is not aligned with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C threshold. Ongoing fossil fuel subsidies and rising emissions in some sectors remain the basis for such criticism.
Another striking aspect is that climate policy is increasingly tied to domestic political dynamics in member states. Following early elections in France, the rise of the far-right has signaled how national climate priorities may shift. Similarly, in Germany, the use of “energy security” rhetoric against climate protests reveals the fragility of public support for green transitions. This has strengthened the view that green policies across Europe now need to be implemented more cautiously and gradually. A Brussels-based CEPS expert warned that “any climate policy that ignores public backlash will also bring political consequences.”.[6]
In the face of structural threats posed by the climate crisis, it is clear that Europe needs a comprehensive resilience strategy. However, this strategy must not be limited to emission reduction targets alone. Concrete and binding steps are required in areas such as adaptation policies, disaster management, sustainable water use, and the restructuring of agricultural production. According to the EEA, most European cities still suffer from a lack of planning regarding climate adaptation, and existing budgets are insufficient to prevent climate-related risks.[7] This reveals that the climate crisis has now become an urgent governance issue.
The increasing pressure on healthcare systems due to rising summer temperatures also stands out as a critical concern. WHO officials have noted that extreme heat triggers heart, respiratory, and kidney conditions and places elderly populations at serious risk. Health authorities, recalling that over 61,000 heat-related deaths occurred in the summer of 2022, fear that this number could rise further in 2025. In this context, making healthcare systems “resilient” to climate change must now become a central focus of public health policy.[8]
In conclusion, by the summer of 2025, Europe is painfully experiencing that the climate crisis is no longer a theoretical threat but a concrete reality affecting daily life. While the EU’s 2040 climate targets are technically comprehensive, they represent a more cautious political and economic approach. Nonetheless, the criticisms voiced by climate scientists, civil society, and certain member states underscore the need for a more ambitious and tangible action plan. Europe’s fight against climate change cannot be reduced to technical goals alone; it is also a multidimensional test involving social justice, political will, and long-term resilience. Europe must now act more decisively to avoid paying the high price of late action.
[1] “Extreme weather in a changing climate: Is Europe prepared?”, EEA, https://www.eea.europa.eu/en/newsroom/news/extreme-weather-in-a-changing-climate-is-europe-prepared, (Accessed: 03.07.2025).
[2] Ibid.
[3] “Nikolaus J. Kurmayer, Seven key points about the EU’s new 2040 climate target”, Euractiv, https://www.euractiv.com/section/eet/news/seven-key-points-about-the-eus-new-2040-climate-target/, (Accessed: 03.07.2025).
[4] Rory O’Neill, “Lethal heat is Europe’s new climate reality”, Politico, https://www.politico.eu/article/lethal-heat-europe-climate-reality-temperature-heatwave-who-pollution-wildfires/, (Accessed: 03.07.2025).
[5] Ibid.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid
[8] Laura Paddison & Mitchell McCluskey, “European summers are getting brutally hot. So why is air conditioning so rare?”, CNN, https://edition.cnn.com/2025/07/02/climate/europe-air-conditioning-heat-wave-intl-latam, (Accessed: 03.07.2025).
