Le Monde reports that Western Europe experienced its hottest summer on record in 2026. According to the European service Copernicus, the average seasonal temperature reached 21.7 degrees Celsius, a figure well above the average.

Copernicus also found that river flows fell to their lowest level in more than thirty years.

Despite these record conditions, the summer did not provoke a political upsurge. European Union member states continue to invest in fossil fuels, Le Monde notes.