EDITORIAL Summer was hot. But as Europe enters a new social and political season, the real heat may only just be beginning. The extreme heatwaves reported this summer have definitely made climate change harder to ignore, even for the sceptics and the indifferent. Nevertheless, they have also fuelled growing anger towards decision-makers, who now appear more preoccupied with technological competitiveness and militarisation than with the environment. The summer has therefore deepened the sense among European citizens that they have been abandoned by financial and political elites who seem to inhabit worlds parallel to our own. And that alone is enough to set the stage for a turbulent return to work. . Loss of productivity as a result of this summer’s heat: the extreme temperatures of 2026 led to significant productivity losses, particularly in construction and agriculture, an estimated 10% drop in output; . A poor tourist season in southern Europe due to transport disruptions, water restrictions and evacuations linked to wildfires, placing a heavy burden on local and national budgets, with direct costs estimated at  10 - 15 billion euros;

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