Europe heatwave shows need to reject climate denial ‘lies’, says EU green chief

The heatwave wreaking chaos across Europe is a “dramatic warning” to reject climate naysayers, a European Commission vice-president says. Teresa Ribera, executive vice-president for a clean, just and competitive transition, lambasted those who listened to the “vested interests” of the fossil fuel industry rather than scientists and their own citizens. “This is a dramatic warning being sent once again by nature on what it means to have a different climate system,” she told the Guardian. “What we are experiencing today [in the form of record heat] is what we knew could happen, but we have not been smart enough to address the root causes. There is still this fierce fight against facts, science, preparedness, and investment [in clean energy], so we are failing people. We need to reject this kind of bullshit based on lies, and against people’s interests.” Teresa Ribera: ‘We need to reject this kind of bullshit [climate crisis denial] based on lies, and against people’s interests.’ Photograph: Mauro Ujetto/LaPresse/Shutterstock The record heat of the past week is set to abate this week in parts of western Europe, but Germany, Czechia, Poland and Hungary reached record temperatures of more than 40C on Sunday as the heatwave spread east. Italy and the Balkans felt the impact of the scorching temperatures on Monday, with growing concerns over the spread of wildfires, while Ukraine’s energy grid was buckling under temperatures in excess of 36C. …