Floods are becoming increasingly common all over Europe, causing significant damages that require massive expenses to be fixed. The Italian region of Emilia-Romagna has been fighting a battle with mud for almost two years now, thus becoming an epicenter of devastation and traumas. Additionally, floods don't just leave marks on buildings, but also on people, because citizens often end up feeling discouraged and abandoned by the local administration.

In the Old Continent, snow is becoming increasingly scarce, with a marked decline especially in Central and Southeastern Europe. The consequences for the environment, economy, and water resources are far from negligible.

The quality of air in Serbia has been the subject of discussion for years, and it is no secret that the country is the worst in Europe in terms of premature pollution-related deaths. Recent satellite data accessed by Deutsche Welle in cooperation with the European Data Journalism Network is revealing.

Fine particle pollution causes premature births, illness, and, in Slovenia, more than 800 preventable deaths every year.

Large forest and grassland fires are one of the most dramatic consequences of the ongoing climate catastrophe. Year after year, media coverage of fires ravaging Canada, Australia, Greece or Portugal is increasing; rising temperatures, however, mean that the threat is growing in many areas of the world – including Central Europe.

The Greek region of Evros, devastated by fires last summer, is also the external border of the EU: there is a strong temptation to blame the fires on the migrants who cross it. Experts, however, point out the responsibilities of the Greek institutions.

When talking about fires we typically imagine a terrifying and catastrophic event. But the use of controlled fires is once again becoming common practice in Europe: together with livestock grazing, it is looking like an essential and economical technique that can prevent genuinely catastrophic fires.

By aligning itself with the recommendations of the car industry when adopting new emission standards, the European Union could be caving in to the industry lobby at the expense of taxpayers' money and citizens' health, according to confidential documents obtained by Voxeurop.

Portugal is Europe's third largest producer of wood pulp, an industry that relies heavily on the eucalyptus tree. In 2017, a devastating fire in Pedrogrão Grande ignited a debate on the industry's responsibility to prevent such disasters. In particular, the issue of biodiversity was brought back to centre stage. Reportage.