EU climate policy faces post-heatwave test

Climate change is expected to feature prominently in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's September 16 State of the European Union speech after a deadly summer of record-breaking heatwaves across Europe.

About 200 environmental groups urged von der Leyen in August to use the speech to set out concrete plans to move the 27-nation bloc away from fossil fuels. The EU's 27 commissioners are also scheduled to meet Swedish climatologist Johan Rockstrom for a post-summer seminar in Brussels on Friday.

The speech comes after two years in which critics say the EU has rolled back parts of its environmental agenda. The bloc has watered down new green rules for businesses and proposed abandoning a ban on the sale of new internal combustion engine cars by 2035.

EU sources say von der Leyen will focus on climate resilience and the economic potential of green industries. Legislation on climate resilience was already due before the end of the year.

More ambitious climate legislation faces resistance in Brussels. Green parties lost ground in the 2024 European elections, while the business-friendly centre-right has more influence in the European Parliament and climate sceptics on the far right have a bigger say.

Right-wing lawmaker Celine Imart said the priority was not "to repaint in green laws that Europeans have asked to be changed". Green leader Terry Reintke said her group would push hard for von der Leyen to lay out concrete climate actions in the speech.