UN climate chief cites estimated €180 billion cost of Europe’s summer extremes

UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiell told the European Parliament’s environment, climate and food safety committee on 10 September that climate-driven extreme heat had affected European infrastructure and economies. A study he cited estimated €180 billion in costs from lost labour productivity and disruption to food, energy and transport.

The speech presents this as one study’s estimate, not a directly measured national account. Stiell also said renewables supplied about half of Europe’s electricity and solar avoided more than €30 billion in gas imports in the first six months of the year.