In conclusions adopted without debate on Thursday 3 March, the Council of the EU called for the adaptation of civil protection systems to the consequences of climate change, both in terms of prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.
In order to better detect and anticipate extreme weather risks and improve civil protection capabilities, Member States and the European Commission are invited to invest in research and innovation, including through the Union Civil Protection Knowledge Network, which was launched in December 2021 and allows the Union Civil Protection Mechanism to run a programme to train experts from across Europe to improve disaster preparedness (see EUROPE 12848/29).
The EU Council also encourages the development of specific training programmes and exercises.
EU Member States are encouraged to develop adequate prevention and preparedness actions, including ensuring the availability of sufficient capacity at national level to deal with risks resulting from climate change, such as forest fires and floods.
The Council invites the Member States and the Commission to further develop the EU’s civil protection capabilities on the basis of current and prospective scenarios, as well as taking into account overall gaps.
The Council conclusions also emphasise the role of civic engagement and volunteers in civil protection initiatives and the need to increase the resilience of populations. Therefore, the Council is calling on Member States to support the preparedness of populations through information, education, training and exercises.
See the conclusions: https://aeur.eu/f/m4 (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)