Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-09-13-Speech-1-044"
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"en.20040913.4.1-044"2
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"Commissioner, I am grateful for the statement you have made to Parliament. Whilst it is true that this year’s fires were not as devastating as last year’s, they ought still to be a concern for everyone. In my country, Portugal, this is partly because last year, around 11% of Portuguese forest territory was destroyed. In other words, what is already burnt cannot be burnt again.
The emergency aid approved by Parliament last year, which helped to bolster the resources made available by the government, made a difference. It was a genuine expression of European solidarity with Portugal at a time of suffering for so many Portuguese people. A significant part of Europe’s forest heritage cannot be destroyed year upon year with total impunity. Quite apart from its relevance for the whole of Europe, the Mediterranean forest is essential to the regional and local economy, to job creation, to the safeguarding of a territory and to the quality of life.
We are aware that there are environmental reasons, related to climate change and to global warming. It is a fact that average temperatures are rising and that the number of days with high temperatures and low humidity is also on the increase. We are also aware that criminal acts are often the cause of these disasters. In many cases, however, the disasters are the result of a lack of prevention and an absence of adequate resources to fight the flames.
As has already been mentioned by, among others, Mrs Herranz Garcia, Parliament set an example when it debated ‘Forest Focus’, which laid down the need to provide the resources to prevent forest fires. Better resources are required, both in prevention and in European civil protection assistance and cooperation in the use of major resources, to which you so aptly referred in your speech, Commissioner.
Lastly, Mr President, I should like to mention something to which we alluded last year and to which we shall probably always allude whenever such circumstances arise: the dedication of the fire-fighters, the dedication of the people who, through their acts of courage, generosity and even heroism, proved what we already know – that in times of tragedy that demonstrate the worst in human nature, there are also many people who demonstrate the best in human nature."@en1
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