The European Union will urge member states to invest more in environmental management and nature restoration to reduce wildfire risks, the bloc's environment commissioner said on Thursday, as the economic impact of this summer's fires surpassed €15 billion.
Extreme wildfires that have swept across parts of France, Spain and Greece this summer have caused estimated economic losses of between €15.6 billion and €19.1 billion, including damage to property and infrastructure, firefighting expenses, debris removal and expected insurance claims, according to estimates by weather forecaster AccuWeather.
EU environment commissioner Jessika Roswall told Reuters that prevention must become a priority, calling for greater investment in measures such as forest management, removal of dry vegetation and restoration of wetlands that can act as natural barriers against fires.
"Prevention is the first line of defence... it is obvious that we need to invest more in nature," Roswall said.
While Mediterranean countries remain the most exposed to summer wildfires, Roswall warned that climate change is increasing risks across Europe, including in northern countries such as Finland and Sweden.
"No area of Europe is spared," she said, adding that the need for investment was "really urgent".
The European Commission has proposed that 35% of the EU's next long-term budget should support climate and environmental objectives. The proposal has faced criticism from environmental groups, which argue that broader climate spending could divert funds away from nature protection.
Roswall said the Commission would monitor whether member states allocate funding specifically to wildfire prevention and nature restoration.
"It's important to see that the member states also use this money for wildfires," she said, adding that funding would be essential both for emergency response and prevention efforts.
EU countries are also required to submit national plans by September outlining how they will comply with the bloc's nature restoration law. Roswall said wildfire prevention would be among the issues examined by Brussels.
"It's not a luxury, because the cost, if we don't do that, is growing," she said. "We need to protect not only our homes and lives, but also our industries."
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