The European Greens on Thursday intensified pressure on EU leaders to convene an extraordinary summit to confront the escalating climate crisis, as record-breaking heatwaves grip the continent and ministers gathered in Luxembourg for emergency talks. The call, led by the European Green Party, urges heads of state and government to strengthen the EU Green Deal and adopt urgent measures to protect citizens from extreme temperatures, marking a decisive escalation in climate diplomacy just days before the bloc’s summer break.

Swedish Climate Minister Romina Pourmokhtari brought her three-month-old son Adam to the EU Council meeting in Luxembourg, a symbolic gesture to highlight the need for family-friendly policies that enable women to remain in public life without sacrificing parental responsibilities. “I wanted to showcase that it is possible not to have to choose between work and family,” Pourmokhtari told reporters . Her presence, the first of its kind in the bloc’s history, drew widespread attention and underscored the human dimension of climate governance amid grueling negotiations.

The Greens’ demand for an emergency summit follows a series of unprecedented heatwaves across southern and central Europe, with temperatures exceeding 40°C in multiple countries and public health systems under strain. European Commission officials confirmed that discussions on heat-resilient infrastructure, renewable energy acceleration, and cross-border crisis coordination are already underway, but the Greens argue that only a leaders-level summit can unlock the political will and funding required to match the scale of the threat.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s Environment Minister Murat Kurum announced ambitious new targets to raise the country’s recycling rate from 37% to 80% by 2053, alongside restrictions on single-use plastics and the launch next month of a nationwide deposit return system ahead of the COP31 climate summit in Antalya . The move reflects growing recognition among emerging economies that climate action is integral to economic stability, a message echoed by Turkish Treasury Minister Mehmet Simsek, who warned that developing nations face a $2.5 trillion annual financing gap by 2030 unless global commitments shift from ambition to implementation .

As EU environment ministers concluded their session, European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen praised the bloc’s progress on renewables but cautioned that “the window for decisive action is closing fast.” With the Irish EU Presidency set to take over next month, diplomats anticipate further pressure to integrate climate resilience into all major policy areas, from agriculture to digital infrastructure. The Greens’ call for a summit now awaits a response from Council President António Costa, who has yet to confirm whether leaders will convene before the summer recess.

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Articles

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gdeltproject.org · about 2 hours ago

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