Armed Forces & Climate Emergency
As the global climate crisis worsens, the armed forces across Europe continue to respond to emergencies in a national capacity as well as supporting neighbouring countries. Extreme weather events as a result of the climate crisis have led to the outbreak of more frequent flooding and forest fires across Europe, killing many and displacing even more. EUROMIL is carefully monitoring the situation with regards to the role of the military and the implications for citizens in uniform.
Country Profiles
Bulgaria
Wildfires (August 2021)
The Bulgarian Armed Forces perform tasks related to the maintenance of readiness and preparedness and performing humanitarian assistance and rescue activities.
Based on these tasks, military personnel of the Bulgarian Land Forces and Air Forces provide support in extinguishing the wildfires which have recently occurred in difficult-to-reach areas in the territory of the Republic of Bulgaria. Their participation is based on local authorities’ requests and the explicit permission of the Chief of Defense. As wildfires are mainly located in mountainous terrains, the help provided by military personnel to the fire services, forest officials and voluntary teams is of utmost importance.
To help extinguish wildfires and prevent their further spread, the BGR Land Force’s Unit on Fighting Fires acts in full coordination with other national institutions. The Unit also conducts site surveys to detect the onset of wildfires and is ready to stop their spread. The Bulgarian Military Air Forces Helicopter AS 532 AL COUGAR, equipped with a “Bambi Bucket” fire extinguishing system, provides support to the fire services as well as the affected population.
Germany
Flooding (August 2021)
Bundeswehr administrative assistance in the flood disaster areas in Rhineland-Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia
Following the devastating floods in the west and south-west of Germany on 15 July 2021, the Bundeswehr provided emergency assistance in the affected areas with 1450 soldiers. The focus of operations was the region around Ahrweiler.
(L-R: Soldiers from Tactical Air Force Squadron 31 “Boelcke” assist with the clean-up work during the flood operation in Nörvenich, 20.07.2021 [Bundeswehr/Sandra Süßmuth]; Soldiers work out a ford for other vehicles with the armoured engineer vehicle Dachs during the flood disaster in Insul in the Ahr valley, 26.07.2021 [Bundeswehr/Tom Twardy])
Montenegro
Wildfires (August 2021)
Montenegro Military Air Force response to fires in Montenegro and North Macedonia
The Netherlands
Flooding (August 2021)
Dutch Armed Forces response in Limburg
Wildfires (August 2021)