The Spanish Minister for the Ecological Transition, Sara Aagesen, has proposed to the European Commission that community policies be strengthened in the face of the climate crisis with a climate change adaptation fund that would include contributions of various kinds, levies on companies, and European debt instruments. This is stated in her proposal sent to the Climate Commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra.
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The Third Vice President of the Government, Sara Aagesen, has sent the European Climate Commissioner, Wopke Hoekstra, a document with the Spanish position to strengthen the European response to climate risks.
The text proposes the need to address a comprehensive approach to anticipate and assess climate risks, and to incorporate resilience into planning and investment decisions. It also aims to strengthen emergency response systems and create the necessary financial conditions to accelerate adaptation throughout Europe.
Europe is warming faster than any other continent
In her letter, the minister states that after the summer, and following years of accumulated climate impacts, the climate crisis continues to have serious consequences throughout Europe.
Europe is warming faster than any other continent, at approximately twice the global average rate. In 2024 and 2025, global temperatures temporarily exceeded 1.5 °C above pre-industrial levels.
The idea is to have a new strengthened framework for climate change adaptation.
Proposals and obligations
The submitted document states that the EU must establish the obligation that all public planning and decision-making processes systematically assess and integrate climate risks.
A solid and rigorous legislative framework with binding short, medium, and long-term targets based on scientific evidence is deemed necessary.
“Investments need not only to avoid harm but also to assess and integrate climate risks and strengthen adaptation capacities,” it indicates.
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Spain proposes establishing a permanent emergency response system for climate emergencies, strengthening current mechanisms to create a European rapid deployment system with shared resources.
Common financial instruments
“The EU must incorporate common financial instruments to strengthen climate resilience, such as a European public-private reinsurance system that helps cover losses from extreme weather phenomena and climate-related events. This could be addressed through the issuance of climate risk bonds (climate risk bonds),” it states.
It is requested that these climate policies be fully integrated into the EU’s financial architecture and that the EU financial sector continue integrating climate risks into all investment programs, lending, and insurance.
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Anticipating risks
Another proposal is the creation of a specific European fund for climate change adaptation, endowed with new diverse resources including levies on companies and European debt instruments.
The goal must be a Europe capable of anticipating climate risks and responding to them collectively, strengthening its adaptation capacities, and mobilizing resources to undertake the necessary investments.
Spain has participated very actively in prior debates and “is fully willing to contribute constructively and work closely with the Commission and Member States to strengthen Europe’s capacity to adapt to the climate risks we already face.”
Challenge of enormous magnitude
The letter’s text continues by saying that many Member States are highly exposed to the climate crisis, as recent events have clearly shown. “Reactive approaches are insufficient to face current and future risks, with increasing implications for our security, prosperity, and competitiveness,” it says.
The minister adds that “Spain strongly supports an ambitious Integrated European Climate Resilience Framework, commensurate with the magnitude of the challenge” which will be presented soon. And at the national level, the Government of Spain is acting through the proposal of a State Pact against the Climate Emergency.
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