European Commission Executive Vice-President Teresa Ribera launched a fierce attack against climate deniers, accusing politicians who dismiss the link between global warming and Europe's devastating wildfires of "lying to people" and putting lives at risk.
"We have lots of new parliamentarians in the European Parliament, political families and national politicians who are very vocal against climate science and climate action. This is dangerous, they are lying to people," Ribera told Euronews in an exclusive interview.
As deadly wildfires rage across Spain, France and Greece, Ribera warned that climate scepticism is undermining Europe's ability to prepare for increasingly destructive disasters. Speaking from Madrid, which has been badly impacted, she compared denying the role of climate change in wildfires to giving alcohol to alcoholics.
"The closest example would be someone in public office saying you can drink as much whiskey as you want and then drive because road accidents have nothing to do with alcohol, only with the condition of the road or the car," she said. "This is stupid."
Ribera dismissed claims that the fires are simply part of Europe's season cycle, arguing instead that climate change is creating "new types of wildfires" that are more intense and increasingly threaten communities, infrastructure, wildlife and human lives.
"This is just dangerous," she told Euronews. More than 10,000 excess deaths were recorded across Europe during late June's extreme heatwaves.
The Spanish commissioner, who oversees the EU's clean, just and competitive transition, made the remarks at a politically sensitive moment in Brussels.
Over the past year, the EU's political focus has shifted away from its once ambitious climate legislation — the hallmark of Ursula von der Leyen's first-term European Green Deal — towards competitiveness, industrial policy and cutting red tape for companies.
Several governments and political groups have urged Brussels to ease environmental rules even further, arguing it is the only way to remain competitive against the United States and China.
Some of the measures include watering down the bloc’s methane rules, which would require oil and gas producers to reduce and monitor their emissions, as well as the nature restoration law, which is seen as crucial for protecting forests and peatlands.
Ribera, however, warned against rolling back the bloc's climate agenda.
Europe cannot respond to one of its worst wildfire seasons by dismantling the very policies designed to reduce climate risks, she argued. While regulation can be simplified, she said, abandoning the foundations of the Green Deal would be a mistake.
"Providing the right answer is not just getting rid of everything that has been building these green roots to keep on building prosperity," Ribera said.
