Inside Politics Podcast

Europe’s climate is changing. Will European politics change with it?

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Naomi O'Leary reports from Brussels

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A firefighter tries to control a fire in the settlement of Neoi Pontioi, near Athens, on July 19, 2023. Extreme heat was forecast across the globe on July 19, 2023, as wildfires raged and health warnings were in place in parts of Asia, Europe and North America. Firefighters battled blazes in parts of Greece and the Canary Islands, while Spain issued heat alerts and some children in Italy's Sardinia were told to stay away from sports. Photograph: Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP.
A firefighter tries to control a fire in the settlement of Neoi Pontioi, near Athens, on July 19, 2023. Extreme heat was forecast across the globe on July 19, 2023, as wildfires raged and health warnings were in place in parts of Asia, Europe and North America. Firefighters battled blazes in parts of Greece and the Canary Islands, while Spain issued heat alerts and some children in Italy's Sardinia were told to stay away from sports. Photograph: Louisa Gouliamaki / AFP.
Wed Jul 19 2023 - 14:32

In a summer heatwave gripping countries including Spain, Italy, France and Greece, Europeans are experiencing temperatures more commonly found in the Sahara desert.

The consequences for human health, agriculture and the environment are expected to be severe.

How are European political institutions responding to what seems to be a troubling new reality?

Europe correspondent Naomi O’Leary joins Hugh Linehan on today’s Inside Politics podcast.

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They discuss Europe’s unprecedented heatwave, EU climate politics, and how national political realities - for example, this weekend’s elections in Spain - play into the bloc’s stance on climate and biodiversity measures.

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