Belgium: The European Union (EU) will create a ‘climate insurance alliance’ to expand insurance coverage for extreme weather events, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on September 16, after a summer marked by drought, wildfires and heatwaves.
Climate change has made Europe the world’s fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising at about twice the global average, according to the information provided. This year’s wildfire season was among Europe’s worst on record, while successive heatwaves killed dozens of people, disrupted power supplies, reduced productivity and forced schools to close.
Only about a quarter of the economic losses caused by climate-related events in the EU are currently insured, according to EU figures. The new initiative aims to help narrow that gap. “Far too often, national budgets become the insurer of last resort. We need to take action to close this gap,” von der Leyen told the European Parliament.
A stronger, independent Europe is now emerging.
A Europe better able to defend itself than ever before.
That is there for Europeans.
This is a Europe we can be so proud of ↓ https://t.co/kwoTX3l4Ud
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) September 16, 2026
While the EU has developed extensive policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it has been slower to prepare for the effects of a warming climate.
The EU’s independent climate advisers said in February that Europe was underinvesting in climate adaptation. They called for measures including better planning to prevent construction in flood-prone areas and urban designs that can help residents cope with extreme heat.
A ‘climate resilience’ strategy due in October will set out how to manage climate risks across 100 vulnerable European territories. A separate heatwave plan will seek to improve early-warning systems, while an EU water plan will focus on strengthening drought-risk management.
The bloc has also asked senior firefighters to develop proposals for improving wildfire management, including the possibility of establishing an EU firefighting fleet.
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