In light of the extreme weather events of the summer, the European Parliament is calling for a more robust EU response in terms of climate, environmental and civil protection policy, in an integrated and preventive approach.
The resolution it adopted on 15 September (469 votes in favour, 34 against, 44 abstentions) records the recommendations of MEPs after their debate on the consequences of the devastating drought and forest fires (see EUROPE 13020/4).
The Parliament stresses the importance of sustainable water management to ensure food security and calls on the Commission to refrain from proposing new legislation “that endangers or risks endangering our food security”.
MEPs believe that these extreme weather conditions show the need for more ambitious action on climate change mitigation and adaptation and that the EU should step up its efforts in all sectors.
Deploring the fact that the climate change adaptation strategy does not set concrete, measurable and time-bound targets, the European Parliament calls on the Commission to propose “a comprehensive, ambitious and legally binding European framework”.
It expects that the proposed regulation on nature restoration (see EUROPE 12977/17) from last June will be an opportunity to improve synergies between climate change mitigation, adaptation, disaster prevention and nature restoration and will provide a framework for the restoration of drought-resilient ecosystems such as forests.
The Commission is asked to assess climate-related risks across the EU. MEPs want a climate resilience stress test for key infrastructure to be in place by summer 2023.
The Parliament stresses the importance of strengthening and making full use of the EU’s civil protection mechanism. It calls for a new permanent fleet of RescEU air assets to be established quickly and to include the volunteer fire-fighting reserve with increased numbers. MEPs also recommend the creation of a permanent European civil protection force.
The resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/34m (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)