This is my sixth northern hemisphere summer, and by far the hottest I have experienced. It is very likely to be the hottest since records started. Climate is changing more rapidly in Europe than on any other continent.

In today's recommended read, my colleague Balazs Koranyi reports that all over Europe, this summer's sweltering heatwaves have brought home the reality that the costly and life-altering economic impacts of climate change have already arrived.

Record heat and droughts this summer, which scientists say are exacerbated by global warming, have wreaked havoc in power production, shipping and public health systems. Scientists and fire monitors warn this wildfire season could rival or exceed 2025, currently the worst on record.

Economists and academics say this is expected to hit the region's economy to the effect of hundreds of billions of euros. They have also warned this is just the beginning, with costs set to rise faster than temperatures.