by: Fredrika Kláren, Head of Sustainability at Polestar
The European summer has arrived, and every year it seems we return to the same conversation.
Hospitals are preparing to treat heat-related illnesses.
This year is no different, with yet another record heat wave sweeping across the continent. Last month, in June, temperatures exceeded 40°C in parts of France and Spain, and more than 100 million Europeans were exposed to extreme heat in a single week, including the United Kingdom. In July, new heat waves are forecast, extending to Portugal as well, making it evident that these are no longer isolated events.
Beyond human suffering and health impacts, extreme heat is also turning into a heavy economic burden. The UK’s Office for National Statistics estimates that extreme heat costs the British economy about £1.2 billion per year in lost gross value added. Allianz, using its own models, estimated that the most developed European economies could face, by 2030, cumulative heat-related GDP losses of between 5% and 7%.
The exact dimension of these losses varies by country and methodology. But one thing is indisputable: extreme heat already represents a significant economic cost.
The response follows a familiar pattern. Many of us slip into crisis mode, in a situation reminiscent of the Covid era. We scramble for the last ventilators at hardware stores, discuss which air conditioners are the best, and, in Paris, children jump into the Seine to cool off. These are reactive measures to deal with the immediate consequences, without addressing the root cause.
It’s as if we’re mopping up water from the floor while leaving the oil tap running.
For too long, sustainability has been presented as a sacrifice. In reality, it is about building healthier, more autonomous societies and more capable of controlling their own future. Ultimately, it is about creating communities more resilient, capable of making decisions that strengthen their quality of life and their independence.
The transport sector is one of the clearest examples of why we need to address the root cause of the problem and not just its symptoms. Every rise in the price of oil reminds us that we built our mobility around a finite resource we do not control and from which we do not need to remain dependent. More and more people are already transitioning to electric mobility. Why? Because electrification corrects an equation that no longer makes sense.
Electric vehicles are already significantly cheaper to operate. Across Europe, driving 100 kilometres on electricity can cost only between €3 and €6, compared with about €7 to €11 for a gasoline car. Moreover, they run on energy that can be produced locally from renewable sources, making it both cheaper and more sustainable. Electric vehicles improve air quality, reduce the pressure on public health systems, and strengthen Europe’s energy resilience.
Europe must now stay the course. Policies such as the new European carbon pricing system applied to road transport can help reflect the true cost of fossil fuels while making cleaner alternatives more attractive. It is how we begin to close the oil tap, instead of continuing to pay to clean up the consequences.
Climate action is no longer just an environmental policy. It is an economic policy. A health policy. A security policy. More policymakers need to wake up to this reality — their voters already have.
People do not wake up thinking about carbon budgets. They think about protecting their families, managing household expenses, and building a better future for their children. And, more and more, these priorities point in the same direction.
The transition to electrification is not about asking people to accept less. It is about giving them more control over how they move, how they power their lives, and how they manage their spending. The best climate solutions are those that solve, at the same time, everyday problems.
Automotive manufacturers should not view sustainability as a commitment or a sacrifice, but as a strategic advantage. Better technology for drivers. Cleaner air for cities. Greater energy independence for Europe.
This is not a story of sacrifice.
It is a story of progress.
And of finally closing the oil tap.
