Von der Leyen warns of climate change intensifying following deadly floods in Spain
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen expressed her condolences for the families affected by devastating floods in Spain, offering European aid to support recovery efforts. "This is the dramatic reality of climate change," she said, highlighting the pressing need for strong climate resilience measures across Europe during a press conference on Thursday.
Southern and eastern Spain, particularly the Valencia region, have been hit by some of the heaviest rainfall in decades, with dozens of people having been killed.
“What we are seeing is heartbreaking,” Von der Leyen said. “Entire villages are covered in mud, people are scrambling to save themselves in trees, and cars are being swept away by raging waters. Dozens of people have lost their lives and thousands have been forced to leave their homes."
To support emergency efforts, the European satellite system Copernicus has been activated, aiding rescue teams with real-time coordination. Von der Leyen announced Europe’s offer to activate its Civil Protection Mechanism to provide further support.
“In recent months, Central and Eastern Europe, Italy and now Spain have been affected. This is the dramatic reality of climate change," she said. "We need to prepare ourselves across Europe to deal with it."
Her address aligned with a broader EU focus on strengthening readiness for both civil and military crises, which she described as "the new normal of climate change". As part of this initiative, former Finnish president Sauli Niinistö presented a report on Thursday, outlining strategies for enhancing the EU's resilience to such emergencies.
European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen © PHOTO JOHN THYS / AFP
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