According to the European Court of Auditors, from forest fires to devastating floods, the summer in the European Union has been marked by natural disasters.

From Portugal to Greece, forest fires once again ravaged the continent in the middle of the summer. And as one disaster never comes alone, floods wreaked havoc in various countries, including Slovenia, Austria, Bulgaria, and again, Greece.

This is a strong alarm signal regarding the consequences of global warming. So, let's see what the EU auditors have done in this regard.

The EU has a civil protection mechanism and solidarity structures to assist countries affected by natural disasters. It can mobilize emergency aid such as firefighting services (including aircraft), pumping equipment, satellite imagery, and financial support.

In the past, the Court's auditors found that, in general, this mechanism was activated in a timely manner, and EU civil protection teams contributed to the on-site coordination of participating countries' teams.

In another audit, the Court's auditors examined flood prevention and preparedness measures and warned that in recent decades, due to climate change, floods have become more frequent in Europe, and the EU has faced heavier rainfall and more powerful storms.

The trend shows that the number of flash floods of medium to large magnitude has at least doubled compared to what was recorded in the late 1980s. In another very relevant audit, the management of EU support for the prevention and repair of damage caused by wildfires and natural disasters in forests was examined.

Auditors critically found that EU support was neither well-managed nor cost-effective. However, a decade has passed since then, during which the situation has evolved considerably, in part due to the Court's recommendations.