Extreme weather across Europe, North America and Asia is highlighting a harsh reality of science and history: The world as a whole is neither prepared to slow down climate change nor live with it.

European officials are trying to change that. The European Commission, the E.U.’s executive arm, recently introduced ambitious legislation aimed at sharply cutting emissions to slow down climate change within the next decade, specifically by weaning one of the world’s biggest and most polluting economies off fossil fuels. But can it generate the political will to see it through?

Guest: Somini Sengupta, the international climate reporter for The New York Times.

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Background reading: 

• Our climate correspondent explains what you need to know about the implications of recent extreme weather events for rich countries.
• Want to learn more about the science behind climate change? Here are some answers to the big questions, like how we know we’re really in a climate crisis.

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday. 

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