Environment & Climate
The European Green Deal, energy transition, oceans and the climate policy behind the headlines.
Wildfires in Gironde threaten French defence industry and regional economy
Wildfires in Gironde have forced evacuations at key defence and aerospace sites near Bordeaux, including ArianeGroup, Dassault Aviation, and
Europe's wildfire crisis: how climate change is fueling unprecedented destruction
Wildfires in southwestern France and central and eastern Spain have destroyed over 120,000 hectares of land. Two firefighters died in France
Extreme heat exposure among European children triples in first half of 2026
Two-thirds of children across Western Europe were exposed to extreme temperatures in the first six and a half months of 2026, three times th
Renewables and heat pumps could end EU's LNG reliance by 2030, report finds
Meeting EU renewable energy and heat pump targets could cut gas demand by 25% by 2030, displacing more LNG than expected from Qatar. The shi
Europe's degraded landscapes amplify climate extremes, experts warn
Decades of draining wetlands and straightening rivers have left Europe vulnerable to climate shocks. Experts call for binding 'sponge target
Le Porge residents battle to prevent wildfire reignition after 170 homes lost
A wildfire in Le Porge, southwestern France, has destroyed at least 170 homes. Residents are now spraying water on smouldering embers to pre
Europe's June heatwave by the numbers: record temperatures, excess deaths, and crop losses
Western Europe recorded its hottest June on record, with an average temperature of 20.74°C. The heatwave caused over 10,000 excess deaths, m
France and Spain race to contain wildfires as heatwave threatens new devastation
Over 300,000 people have been evacuated from France and Spain as wildfires burn tens of thousands of hectares. A new heatwave is expected to
Critically endangered Montseny brook newts reintroduced to secret Catalan site
Dozens of Montseny brook newts, a species found only in a small area of Catalonia, have been released at an undisclosed site. The effort inv
Europe faces warmer-than-normal August as Mediterranean heat persists
Seasonal forecasts indicate a warmer-than-normal August across Europe, with the strongest heat signal over the Mediterranean and southeaster
Spain's wildfire season costs up to €3.275 billion in firefighting alone
Firefighting costs for Spain's 2026 wildfires are estimated between €1.7 and €3.3 billion, based on per-hectare costs. The burned area is ha
EU warns wildfire response capacity stretched to breaking point
The EU has activated its emergency response system to support France and Spain, deploying aircraft and ground teams. Officials warn that cli