European Parliament Honors Fallen Firefighter and Calls for Action Against Wildfires
Ursula von der Leyen stated that this summer's abnormal heat is merely a 'harbinger' of future high temperatures.
The President of the European Commission listed regions in Europe that faced extreme weather, which, according to her, led to 35,000 excess deaths.
In a touching moment, she introduced the family of a firefighter who died while battling the flames. The Parliament honored the hero with a standing ovation.
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In her annual 'State of the Union' address, she referred to the recurring heat waves as a 'summer of truth.'
According to her, mitigation, adaptation, and preparedness must be at the core of Europe's approach to combating extreme weather.
'Next month, we will present a new framework for strengthening climate resilience. We will identify the 100 most vulnerable areas in Europe and assess the risks,' she reminded, noting that this summer, 660,000 hectares burned, and around 12 million tons of crops were lost.
Von der Leyen also announced the creation of a new Climate Insurance Alliance.
'Today in Europe, private insurance covers only about 25 percent of the damage from natural disasters. This means that government budgets often become the insurer of last resort,' she stated.
This article will be updated.
