Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-06-14-Speech-4-194"
| Predicate | Value (sorted: default) |
|---|---|
| rdf:type | |
| dcterms:Date | |
| dcterms:Is Part Of | |
| dcterms:Language | |
| lpv:document identification number |
"en.20010614.11.4-194"2
|
| lpv:hasSubsequent | |
| lpv:speaker | |
| lpv:spokenAs | |
| lpv:translated text |
".
Mr President, Community cooperation in the field of civil protection began in 1985 and included two programmes, one which lasted two years – 1998-1999 – and another which will be in force until 2004.
In recent years, disasters that have often been wrongly termed ‘natural’ have had serious consequences for people, for the environment, and for both natural and cultural heritage. Supporting the Member States in risk prevention, improving the training of those who intervene in the event of disasters, contributing to educating citizens about self protection and raising their awareness of the issue: these are some of the objectives of these programmes. Today, however, we are debating the Council proposal for the setting up of a mechanism for the coordination of civil protection intervention in emergency situations.
I think it is worth remembering that, according to the United Nations intergovernmental panel on climate change, there is already evidence that if the current trends of increasing greenhouse gas emissions are not corrected, such disasters – floods, droughts, storms and so on – will become ever more normal. This mechanism therefore has to be very welcome.
Determining the resources available for intervention, the training of assessment and coordination teams to intervene in emergencies, and a common rapid communication system are aspects on which this proposal is based in order to meet the objectives of protecting citizens, the environment and natural and cultural resources.
The four priority types of action under this mechanism are: prevention of accidents, rapid reaction capability, response in emergency situations, and recovery measures in the event of a disaster. The most important factors for achieving these objectives are: creating a management, coordination and information operations centre; identifying available resources in the Member States; training programmes for intervention teams and for experts in the assessment of needs and the coordination of transport, resources and teams and establishing a joint emergency communications system linking all available civil protection teams.
It is obvious that the current situation differs in each of the Member States: in Germany and Spain there is a clear delimitation of Autonomous Communities – regions – which have their own civil protection mechanisms, and also in the towns and municipalities. In the other countries the civil protection service is more centralised.
In any case, I think it is obvious that this mechanism will prove very useful in that it can effectively coordinate and mobilise all the resources we have available in Europe for clear emergencies, as have occurred in recent years. I remember very well what happened in the Doñana National Park, when a pond of toxic waste burst its banks, flooded a river and a vast area of water meadows and destroyed the livelihoods of 5000 farmers. Therefore it is vital that there should be a rapid, effective mechanism of this kind.
What perhaps is just as vital as this need for rapid communication and coordination is for citizens to be trained and educated to protect themselves. In Europe there are about five million volunteers – I was surprised at the number – who for no payment provide their services at any given moment when there is a disaster. Giving these people the slightest amount of training would be of great help in tackling these disasters. We just have to remember what happened with the
on the French coast and other disasters of this kind.
I think the proposals put forward by Parliament are acceptable and improve this mechanism, and in future it will be very important that there should be a clear, practical mechanism, with a centre for the coordination of communications and resources for civil protection."@en1
|
| lpv:unclassifiedMetadata |
Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples