EU Civil Protection Mechanism launches preparations for possible extreme weather events for 2024 in the face of climate change

Today, Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič is meeting the Italian Minister for Civil Protection and Sea Policies, Nello Musumeci, for the opening session of the European Civil Protection Mechanism “lessons learnt” meeting on wildfires and floods.

The meeting involves 54 representatives from 30 European countries that are part of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism. Together they will identify and share lessons and good practices from the Mechanism’s deployments not only in Europe but also in Bolivia, Canada, Chile or Tunisia in 2023.

Unlike previous years, today’s meeting will go beyond wildfires and will focus also on floods, following this summer’s extreme weather events.

The outcome of discussions will be used for further improvement of the EU’s response, as well as be incorporated in trainings. While climate change is difficult to reverse, we can be better prepared to address their consequences and minimise the effects.

During his visit to Italy, Commissioner Lenarčič is also meeting with the Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, and the Holy See’s Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher.

These extreme weather events are more recurrent due to a result of climate change. On 6 August, the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was activated for the first time within the same day for both flood and wildfire emergencies, when flooding affected two thirds of Slovenia and wildfires raged in Cyprus. This further stresses the increasing complexity of natural hazards and the simultaneity of extreme weather events in Europe and globally.

Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič, said: “In Europe, climate breakdown is no longer some distant news. Extreme weather events, overwhelming national response services, are becoming an almost annual occurrence all around our continent. We can be proud that this year again we stood together. That no request for assistance to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism went unanswered. To keep up with the increasing rate and intensity of disasters, we must continue strengthening the Mechanism, and I call on Member States to sustain their preparedness, prevention and adaptation efforts."