Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-05-18-Speech-4-017"

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". Commissioner, ladies and gentlemen, in recent years Europe has been affected by natural disasters, which have caused hundred of deaths and terrible economic and environmental damage. For Portugal in particular, in common with other Mediterranean regions, 2005 was the driest year in the last 105 years. In December, around 87% of Portuguese territory was suffering from extreme drought. This was particularly serious in the Algarve region, where the climatic conditions were exceptional – a combination of high temperatures and the dryness of the air. In the Algarve region, the natural disaster of the drought of 2005 and the devastation caused by the 2003 forest fires had a terrible impact on local infrastructure, on the natural and cultural heritage and on farming and tourism. The water supply to the communities concerned was markedly affected in terms of scarcity and compliance with required quality standards. Natural disasters are known to occur when extreme weather events affect a vulnerable area. It is therefore crucial that the fragility of these regions be reduced. European cooperation on civil protection must be stepped up, in order to ensure rapid response for the affected areas. There must also be increased prevention and a rapid response preparedness instrument for emergency situations. This is what these own-initiative reports seek to do and to coordinate. Even so, the Solidarity Fund has a long way to go before it is fully developed, which is why we are discussing it. It should therefore be acknowledged that almost all the affected areas are classified by the EU and that following the devastation we cannot simply say that we have fulfilled our civil responsibility. The restoration of lost ecosystems is vital for the balance of these areas. To this end, solidarity is also crucial. It is also crucial to enhance information and awareness raising among the communities and regions that are vulnerable to natural disasters, so as to reduce the risks and the impact of those disasters and so that the people know what they can do to preserve the natural resources in the region. Solidarity has been a key word in the EU ever since the Treaty of Rome. Let us make sure, however, that it does not become just another empty word in the Community vocabulary."@en1

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