Today, the Environment Committee in the European Parliament held an exchange of views on the European Environment Agency's report on climate risk assessment and the EU Commission's climate adaptation package, which was presented last week.

MEP Manuela Ripa (ÖDP - Die Naturschutzpartei) took the opportunity to confront the Commission with incoherent and inadequate measures:

"I wonder how the EU Commission's actions fit in with the European Environment Agency's report, which clearly paints a catastrophic scenario for our century if we don't finally take active steps to counteract climate change. Our food security is at risk, as are our ecosystems and our water resources. Europe is the fastest warming continent. The report clearly shows that immediate action is needed and that current European strategies and adaptation measures are not enough. Instead of taking action, the European Commission is not even presenting the necessary laws and strategies, watering them down or withdrawing important measures. This is absolutely counterproductive and is leading us straight into a climate catastrophe."

Last week, the EU Environment Agency (EEA) warned in a study that the EU is not sufficiently prepared for the climate crisis and its consequences. According to the study, extreme heat, drought, forest fires and floods will become the rule rather than the exception in the future.

Shortly after the study was published, the European Commission presented the so-called climate adaptation package, a package of measures whose implementation is intended to better prepare the EU member states for the challenges associated with climate change. This involves both better coordination with regard to climate risks and the financing of climate resilience. Disaster management and civil protection systems are mentioned, for example. In the same week, the Commission presented plans to weaken environmental standards in the common agricultural policy.

Manuela Ripa, Member of the European Parliament for the Ecological Democratic Party (ÖDP - die Naturschutzpartei) considers the measures to be far too soft and criticizes the EU's recent very timid policy with regard to man-made climate change.

"The European Commission is not responding to the pressing environmental problems! Instead of "simplifying" the Common Agricultural Policy by lowering environmental standards, the Commission should have stuck to environmental services, with appropriate remuneration for farmers. The Water Resilience Initiative should not have been scrapped in view of the climate crisis we are facing.

Apparently, it is now all about taking half-hearted measures instead of tackling the causes of global warming. Ursula von der Leyen started her term in office as Commission President, who wanted to help European climate protection achieve a breakthrough. But there is not much left of that now. When she was nominated as the conservative EPP's lead candidate for the European elections, she had to pour a lot of water into her wine under pressure - particularly from the CDU and CSU. The 'European Green Deal' was ripped apart in front of the assembled public and defamed as a threat to agriculture and social peace in Europe. Given the urgency of the situation, this is completely out of place and irresponsible."

Manuela Ripa suspects that the EPP wants to score points in the European elections with a retro program and a focus on the right-wing fringe.

"With their demands for more nuclear power in particular, the CDU and CSU want to go back to the past. Not only does this reflect a fear of right-wing populists who would prefer no climate protection at all, but they are also closing their eyes to reality. The European Environment Agency's report states that there are considerable risks to energy production, transmission and demand due to heat and droughts. We need to expand renewable energies and not nuclear power. We all remember France during last year's hot summer, when it had to buy electricity from Germany because it could no longer cool its nuclear reactors due to water shortages."

The MEP from the "ÖDP - the Nature Conservation Party" warns that the climate crisis is taking a back seat to other crises such as the war in Ukraine. If I am re-elected, I will make my vote for a Commission President in the next Parliament dependent on whether he or she is clearly committed to the goals of the European Green Deal and will also implement them," Manuela Ripa concludes.