European Commission Announces Initiative Package to Enhance EU Preparedness for Climate Change Impacts

Brussels, September 16 (KUNA) – The European Commission announced on Wednesday a package of initiatives to enhance the European Union’s preparedness to confront the impacts of climate change and extreme weather events, as well as to strengthen security cooperation in Europe amid rising risks and threats facing the continent. The announcement came in European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s annual address to the European Parliament on the state of the Union, in which she declared that the EU would work to establish a “Climate Insurance Alliance” aimed at increasing insurance coverage against extreme weather events. Von der Leyen noted that national budgets often end up being the last resort for covering insurance liabilities, emphasizing the need to act to close this gap. She added, “We need to significantly ramp up our preparedness,” stressing the importance of strengthening Europe’s capacity to face risks stemming from climate change. She explained that only about a quarter of economic losses caused by climate-related events in the EU are insured, noting that the new initiative aims to address this gap. Von der Leyen also announced a strategy to enhance resilience to climate change, to be unveiled next October, which will focus on how to manage climate risks in 100 vulnerable European regions. She said that a plan to address heatwaves will target improvements in early warning systems, while a European water plan will strengthen drought risk management. Regarding wildfires, she noted that the European Commission has asked senior fire service officials to submit proposals to improve fire management, including exploring the possibility of forming a dedicated European wildfire fighting fleet. (End) A.R.N. / M.N.F.