Hard to clean.Photographer: Jean-Christophe Verhaegen/AFP/Getty Images As seen from Europe, the threat of global warming has plenty of competition these days. With Washington causing geopolitical disorder, Russia still waging its war of conquest and far-right populism on the rise, distractions from the fight against climate change are everywhere. So it’s impressive that the European Union is maintaining its efforts. Encouraging as this might be, the bad news is that the EU is still nowhere near on track to meet its stated climate goals.