Cows are looking for shelter from the heat in Ruswil, Lucerne, and the grass is very dry.Image: keystone
analysis
Switzerland and Europe are experiencing an extraordinarily hot and dry summer. This could give solar power and electric cars a new boost. Or not.
July 18, 2026, 3:14 p.mJuly 18, 2026, 3:14 p.m
Summer is only half over. And we have already experienced several heat waves. It was particularly violent in the second half of June the temperature records were pulverized. There are now signs of relaxation. Next week temperatures are expected to be in the “normal” range for the time of year. But what does normal mean these days?
The persistent dryness is not normal. Although it has rained off and on in the past few days, widespread precipitation is still not in sight. High pressure systems have been blocking things for weeks the low pressure areas over the Atlantic make their way to Europe. But the problem goes back further: Even in winter there was little rain and snow.
The Emme riverbed in the canton of Bern has dried up over long stretches. That’s why emergency fishing takes place.Image: keystone
This continued in the spring. The consequences can be seen all over Europe. Even in the British Isles, which are known to be rather wet, the soil is more brown than green, as I have seen first-hand in the last few weeks. Oceans, lakes and rivers are far too warm and water levels are falling to dangerously low levels.
Swimming and fishing are prohibited
This not only affects the transport of goods, for example on the Rhine. Was in Switzerland Swimming and fishing in smaller rivers is sometimes prohibitedto protect fish and other living creatures. Nevertheless, it is foreseeable that animal and plant species that are used to cooler temperatures will will “disappear” over time.
The drought is also stressing farmers. Some people bring their livestock from the Alps because they don’t have enough water and feed. Others have to have their animals slaughtered. Irrigating fields leads to conflicts. Even water-rich countries like Switzerland or Austria will it is difficult to avoid better water management.
Matterhorn without snow and ice
The record heat is also noticeable in the Alps. The Matterhorn, Switzerland’s most iconic mountain, is largely free of snow and ice. Zermatt mountain guides therefore warn According to the Ponoma portal, before mountain tours. You only go up the Matterhorn with “regulars”. It was only last Sunday that people fell there two alpinists to their deaths.
This is what the Matterhorn will look like in summer 2026.Image: Valais cantonal police
These are just a few examples. One could mention others. By mid-July, cities are already counting as many hot days as forecast are only expected for an average summer of 2045writes the “Tages-Anzeiger”. Nevertheless, climate deniers claim that this is actually completely normal and has happened before.
Always colder periods
In fact, there were abnormally hot summers in 1911 or 1947, for example. “This was always followed by colder periods,” emphasizes the “Tages-Anzeiger”. In recent decades, however, there has actually never been a cool summer. Rather, heat waves and dry periods are now the rule rather than the exception.
“June 2026 made it clear how profoundly the climate is changing,” said Samantha Burgess, strategic head for climate at the EU Copernicus program in Bonn. This not only puts a strain on nature and agriculture, but also leads to deaths. And that Boom in air conditioning only combats the symptoms, but not the causes.
Up to 45 degrees
The scenarios are bleak: with an average global warming of three degrees, which we are currently heading towards, there is a risk of even more severe heat waves and dry phases. The federal government warns against this in its climate scenarios. According to a study by MeteoSchweiz, in extreme cases it could Daytime maximum temperatures over 45 degrees and tropical nights with 25 degrees.
The heat is particularly severe in the cities. Even in London it was oppressively hot.Image: keystone
This could give climate policy a new boost. The Greens, which have been weakening in recent years, have launched a heated campaign that is based on the federal Corona posters. In addition, the party has created a heat plan “for a resilient Switzerland in which all people and the environment are protected even on hot days.”
Decline in solar expansion
The plan is consciously based on what is feasible and avoids moralizing. He draws the lessons from the climate activism at the end of the last decade, which in the long term has probably done more harm than good to climate protection. This is reflected, among other things, in the recent slowdown in photovoltaic expansion and the sluggish sales of electric cars.
In 2025, there was a 26 percent decline in new solar system installations compared to the previous year, the Swissolar association announced last week. This is also due to uncertainty regarding financial incentives. There has been no clear line on this point in recent years. The Federal Council therefore wants to increase the one-off payment.
More interest in electric cars
There could also be a boost from the Iran war and the associated consequences for energy supplies, similar to what happened after Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. In electromobility This already seems to be becoming apparent. According to the “Mobility Speedometer” published on Thursday by the insurer Axa, interest in electric cars is increasing.
Electric cars could experience a boost, also because of the Strait of Hormuz.Image: keystone
Only 39 percent want to buy a combustion engine next, compared to 48 percent last year. For 46 percent, the increased fuel prices make buying an electric car more likely. One can also ask why 39 percent still want to become dependent on oil imports from geopolitically unstable regions.
More cheap vehicles
In addition to the hot and dry summer, the ebb and flow of the Strait of Hormuz could help e-mobility achieve a breakthrough. In addition, more and more cheap vehicles are coming onto the market, especially from the German brands popular in Switzerland. According to Axa, costs are an increasingly important factor when buying a car.
Record heat and the Iran war are the best arguments for decarbonization and the move away from fossil fuels. Does that work too? A look at the recent past makes one rather skeptical, but the problem is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore. Therefore only one question arises: If not now, then when?