Wildfire Crisis in Europe: Heat and drought linked to climate change are driving major blazes from Croatia to Germany and France, forcing evacuations of thousands and injuring dozens, with a wildfire near Omis (Croatia) and another in western Germany near the Belgium border among the worst-hit areas. Heat-Drought Fallout for German Agriculture: Germany’s farmers’ association warns persistent drought and summer heat will cut harvests sharply and could cause total crop failures in the hardest regions, with reduced grassland yields also shrinking winter fodder reserves. Drought Exposes River History: In the Elbe and other rivers, record-low water levels are revealing “hunger stones” and other long-hidden marks and artifacts, a stark reminder of how extreme low flows are reshaping both ecosystems and daily life. EU Packaging Rules: New EU-wide packaging measures aim to reduce waste and boost recycling, including PFAS limits for food-contact packaging, deposit-return systems for many plastic bottles and cans by 2029, and tighter limits on single-use sachets and requirements for recyclable packaging. German Grid Investment Move: RWE has increased its stake in transmission operator Amprion to 55%, setting up further grid expansion plans through 2031—an energy-transition signal as drought and heat stress the system.