The drought in southern Europe could be “worse than ever” and the European Union is deploying hundreds of firefighters from various member states to prepare for a difficult fire.
“We have seen unprecedented forest fires in Europe since 2017 and unfortunately, we expect the 2022 forest fires to follow this trend,” he said. Legislators said Thursday.
“Similarly, the Copernicus Emergency Management Service shows that the current drought in Europe could be worse than ever,” he said.
Climate change has increased fire risk, scientists say. High summer temperatures, combined with numerous and long-lasting droughts, make it easy for fires to spread and spread. The season of wildfires is also extensive.
In 2021, the European Union and neighboring countries were hit hard by a series of wildfires across Turkey, Greece, Italy, France, Albania, northern Macedonia and the Mediterranean. In North Africa, Spain, Algeria and Tunisia, and countries in the Middle East such as Lebanon and Israel.
Some wildfires have led to apocalyptic scenes, such as in Avia, where people were forced to flee the Greek island by boat at night.
According to the European Meteorological Satellite Exploitation Agency, at least 86 people have died since 2017, the second worst year of wildfires in the Mediterranean.
Climate adaptation, disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness are key to addressing these challenges, he said, adding that these efforts should include making the ecosystem more biodiversity and resilient.
However, he told the MEPs that the EU “has provided more than ሚሊዮን 14 million to support RescEU’s fleet of 10 Canadianirs, 1 heavy helicopter and two air tractors in preparation for this year’s Civil Protection Program.”
“We plan to purchase 12 more aircraft under the (rescEU) project.
“For the first time in the history of the European Union this year, the Commission is financing 204 firefighters and ground vehicles from Bulgaria, Finland, France, Germany, Norway and Romania to Greece in July and August. The first teams have already arrived. Last week.”
Drought is on the rise. The Italian government declared a state of emergency in five regions earlier this week due to the drought. In the Po Basin This has brought water reserves to the lowest level in decades.
Almost all Portugal is also facing a “severe drought.” After 92 years of the hottest May.
Regarding the drought, Šefčovič said the EU has “a short-term response, emergency measures in line with our EUCP (EU Civil Protection) strategy and our recently updated and improved early warning system.”
“And in the long run, what we need to do is improve water use. We need to look at sustainable soil management and vegetation coverage and, as many have said, invest in (b) drought-resistant crops and damaged areas,” he said.
