13th of October: International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen issued a firm warning about a "new era of simultaneous disasters." During a visit to the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre, she stressed that Europe is facing the acute effects of climate change — requiring a complete rethink of how member states prepare for crisis situations. The main measures and warnings from Brussels: Preparing for concurrent crises: European states must be ready for scenarios where extreme weather events (such as floods, heatwaves and wildfires) hit several regions or countries at the same time, overwhelming individual national capacities. Strengthening the EU Civil Protection Mechanism: The Union will expand its capacity to pre-position firefighters, firefighting aircraft and medical equipment in high-risk areas before disasters strike. A Climate Insurance Alliance: An EU-wide initiative is proposed to expand insurance policies against extreme climate risks, better protecting citizens and local economies. The Emergency Security Protocol: Alongside natural-disaster preparedness, Ursula von der Leyen is pushing for a coordinated response mechanism against hybrid attacks and security crises, including the proposed creation of a European Security Council.